


Twin Phanniemay Chaos

by Ibelieveinahappilyeverafter, Kasena



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, Iambic Prose, M/M, Multi, Phanniemay, Phanniemay15
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-01
Updated: 2015-05-07
Packaged: 2018-03-26 17:10:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 41,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3858418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ibelieveinahappilyeverafter/pseuds/Ibelieveinahappilyeverafter, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kasena/pseuds/Kasena
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My twin and I have a little chaos in store for you. You all have heard of Phanniemay? Here's our own little twist on it. Along with the lovely, but neglected, pairing of Iambic Prose. </p><p>Enjoy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day One : Portal

**Day One : Portal : Third Person**

**::**

"I still can't believe your parents built a portal to the _underworld_ -" Danny cut the rest of the words off with a heavy sigh, the others feeling the lecture they were about to get.

"For the last time, Tuck, it's not the underworld. It's an alternate dimension that holds the lingering energy of dead souls in the form of what you would call a 'ghost'. They have limited intelligence, dangerous powers, and should be eradicated on sight."

Andrew rolled his eyes. "How much of that did you come up with, and how much was drilled into you?" Danny hummed at the question, narrowing his eyes in thought. When they saw he was actually thinking about the question, they weren't sure whether to be worried or amused.

"Like...probably...a lot of it drilled, I think? Like...98% drilled into my head. Probably. Maybe. You know, I seem to remember that we were supposed to be going to the movies today."

Tucker shot him a grin, sitting on top of the counter. "Yeah, until you told us your parents had some portal to another dimension. How many other kids have an alternate dimension in their basement?"

"Three off the top of my head," Danny shot back, arms behind his back as he gave a sunny smile.

"...I... I can't tell if you're joking or not, and that deeply worries me, Danny." Pausing, Sam narrowed her eyes. "I want the names of these kids."

"Sorry, confidentially between kids who have seen weird shit. I am unable to release the information at this time."

Andrew sighed, putting a hand to his forehead. "Why are you so over dramatic? It's a wonder you're not in the drama department."

"Okay, I am not as dramatic as those people- I'm pretty sure four of them are attempting to take over the school! I refuse to have anything to do with them. Anything. Besides, as for being overdramatic? Let's be honest." Half skipping over to Andrew's side, Danny leaned his weight against the other's side, looking up with as cute a look as he could manage. "You love me for it."

"I still wonder about that." Andrew crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, small smile on his face anyways.

From the counter, Tucker grinned, cupping a hand to his mouth. "Lovebirds!"

"We are not lovebirds!" The two snapped at the teen in unison. A few feet away, Sam looked up from where she was examining the portal, messing with different switches and dials.

"Obviously not. I mean, it's not like you two spend every waking moment together. Or finish each other's sentences and talk at the same time. Or always seem to know what the other is thinking. No. How could anyone ever think you two were ever together? Truly, such a thought is blasphemy."

Andrew glared at her, before giving her a devious smirk. "Yes, blasphemous. Just like the idea of you liking hi-" The rest of the sentence was cut off as he ducked to avoid a shoe thrown at his head. Danny, unfortunately, didn't. "My point, exactly."

"I will strangle you with that scarf, decapitate you, and then stick your head on a pike and wave it in front of your mother."

"You would never do that to her."

"...Point. I'd do it to Randy." From behind Andrew, Danny dizzily stood to his feet, groaning as he rubbed his head. "By the way, I need my shoe back."

"Why...did that hurt so bad..."

"The entire bottom is coated with steel." Danny handed the shoe back, still rubbing his head in pain. "Thank you."

"Now, can we get to our movie?" Danny asked, grumbling quietly as he went to hide behind Andrew and blatantly use him as a shield. "It'll be starting soon."

Tucker put a hand to his head. "Hang on. You're telling me you have a portal and you would rather go see a movie than go in it?"

"...You… You honestly expect him to go into a portal meant for another dimension? Are you trying to get him killed?" Sam asked, eyebrow raised as she crossed her arms. "That just... That is a bad idea. No matter how you look at it."

Andrew shook his head. "Calm down, you two. There's merit to both sides. If he does go in, he can find new scientific discoveries we've never even dreamed of. On the other hand, it's also very likely he could get very injured and possibly kill-... He is not going in."

Tucker grinned, pointing behind Andrew. "Then what do you call what he's doing right now?"

Andrew turned around to see Danny zipping up the last of the hazmat suit, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. "Danny!"

"Okay, I know this looks bad...but really, I mean, this is a portal to another world, right? And I mean, Mom and Dad couldn't even get this thing to work. It probably won't matter if I just take a quick look inside, right?" Moving to the gateway of the portal as he talked, he finally trailed off as he glanced inside.

Heaving a heavy sigh, Andrew walked towards Danny, taking the younger's hands in his own. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah- I mean, yeah." Slightly fidgeting, Danny gave a smile. "I mean, it's gonna be fine. Just a quick look inside and then we can go see that ridiculous movie - you know, the cheesy romcom I might want to see for not so ironic reasons."

Andrew gave him a nod, squeezing his hands. "Alright... just be careful."

From the counter, Tucker shouted, "Guh- AAAAYYYY!" Andrew glared at the techno geek with the promise of murder to his electronics.

Choking back a laugh, Danny squeezed Andrew's hands back, getting his attention again. "Hey, come on, it's fine. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

"Whoop, you jinxed it," Sam sighed, shrugging at Danny's looks. "Any time you wanna go inside and stop holding hands-"

"You are a cruel Sammy!" Jerking his hands away from Andrew - although rather reluctantly - he turned back to the portal, stepping through warily and leaning his left hand against the smooth metal to steady himself.

It really was amazing, the fact that something like this had been made to lead to another world. He heard faint laughter from his friends as he took a few more steps inside, slightly shrinking in on himself. For as amazing as this might have been...it seemed...

"MY BUSINESS IS MY OWN!" Startled at the sudden screaming, Danny winced as he skipped a step, throwing his hand out to catch his balance against the side of the portal. Wincing at the sharp feeling of something pressing into his palm, he froze at hearing the sudden whine of machinery clicking into place and starting up.

He heard the faint sound of gears grinding together, electricity building and crackling in the air, and his friends screaming for him to get out. The only sound that really registered with him, however, was...

Click.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Day One : Portal : First Person : Tucker

"I still can't believe your parents built a portal to the  underworld -" Danny cut the rest of my words off with a heavy sigh, and oh god, I could just  feel  the lecture I was about to get.

"For the last time, Tuck, it's  not the underworld. It's an alternate dimension that holds the lingering energy of dead souls in the form of what you would call a 'ghost'. They have limited intelligence, dangerous powers, and should be eradicated on sight." I shook my head, having already memorized the speech that Danny had both given, and been given multiple times.

Andrew rolled his eyes. "How much of that did you come up with, and how much was drilled into you?" Danny hummed at the question, narrowing his eyes in thought. When we saw he was  actually thinking about the question, I felt like it was a good time to be kinda worried.

"Like...probably...a lot of it drilled, I think? Like...98% drilled into my head. Probably. Maybe. You know, I seem to remember that we were  supposed  to be going to the movies today."

I shot him one of my dazzling grins, and sat on top of the counter. "Yeah, until you told us your parents had some portal to another dimension. How many other kids have an alternate dimension in their basement?"

"Three off the top of my head," Danny shot back, arms behind his back as he gave a sunny smile.

"...I... I can't tell if you're joking or not, and that deeply worries me, Danny." Pausing, Sam narrowed her eyes. "I want the names of these kids."

"Sorry, confidentially between kids who have seen weird shit. I am unable to release the information at this time."

Andrew sighed, putting a hand to his forehead. "Why are you so over dramatic? It's a wonder you're not in the drama department."

"Okay, I am not as dramatic as those people- I'm pretty sure four of them are attempting to take over the school! I refuse to have anything to do with them.  Anything. Besides, as for being overdramatic? Let's be honest." Half skipping over to Andrew's side, Danny leaned his weight against the other's side, giving him a cute look. I internally sighed at how in love they were. "You love me for it."

"I still wonder about that." Andrew crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, small smile on his face anyways.

I grinned, cupping a hand to my mouth. "Lovebirds!" If they weren’t going to get together on their own, I figured I’d have to help them along, in whatever way I could.

"We are not lovebirds!" The two snapped in unison. A few feet away, Sam looked up from where she was examining the portal, messing with different switches and dials.

"Obviously not. I mean, it's not like you two spend every waking moment together. Or finish each other's sentences and talk at the same time. Or always seem to know what the other is thinking. No. How could anyone  ever think  you two were  ever together? Truly, such a thought is blasphemy."

Andrew glared at her, before giving her a devious smirk. "Yes, blasphemous. Just like the idea of  you liking hi-" The rest of the sentence was cut off as he ducked to avoid a shoe thrown at his head. Danny, unfortunately, didn't. "My point, exactly."

"I will strangle you with that scarf, decapitate you, and then stick your head on a pike and wave it in front of your mother."

"You would never do that to her."

"...Point. I'd do it to Randy." From behind Andrew, Danny dizzily stood to his feet, groaning as he rubbed his head. "By the way, I need my shoe back."

"Why...did that hurt so bad..."

"The entire bottom is coated with steel." Danny handed the shoe back, still rubbing his head in pain. "Thank you."

"Now, can we get to our movie?" Danny asked, grumbling quietly as he went to hide behind Andrew and blatantly use him as a shield. "It'll be starting soon."

I put a hand to my head. There was no way I was letting him get outta here easy. "Hang on. You're telling me you have a portal and you would rather go see a movie than go in it?"

"...You… You  honestly expect him to go into a portal meant for another dimension? Are you  trying to get him killed?" Sam asked, eyebrow raised as she crossed her arms. "That just... That is a bad idea. No matter how you look at it."

Andrew shook his head. "Calm down, you two. There's merit to both sides. If he does go in, he can find new scientific discoveries we've never even  dreamed of. On the other hand, it's also very likely he could get very injured and possibly kill-... He is  not going in."

I looked over his shoulder, and gave him a smirk, pointing behind him. "Then what do you call what he's doing right now?"

Andrew turned around to see Danny zipping up the last of the hazmat suit, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. "Danny!"

"Okay, I know this  looks bad...but really, I mean, this is a portal to another  world , right? And I mean, Mom and Dad couldn't even get this thing to work. It probably won't matter if I just take a quick look inside, right?" Moving to the gateway of the portal as he talked, he finally trailed off as he glanced inside.

Heaving a heavy sigh, Andrew walked towards Danny, taking the younger's hands in his own. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah- I mean, yeah." Slightly fidgeting, Danny gave a smile. "I mean, it's gonna be fine. Just a quick look inside and then we can go see that ridiculous movie - you know, the cheesy romcom I might want to see for not so ironic reasons."

Andrew gave him a nod. "Alright... just be careful."

From the counter, I shouted, "Guh- AAAAYYYY!" Andrew glared at me with the promise of murder to my loved ones. But come on, it’s not like it wasn’t true.

Choking back a laugh, Danny looked back at Andrew. "Hey, come on, it's  fine . I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

"Whoop, you jinxed it," Sam sighed, shrugging at Danny's look. "Any time you wanna go inside and stop holding hands-"

"You are a cruel Sammy!" Jerking his hands away from Andrew, he turned back to the portal, stepping through and leaning his left hand against the smooth metal.

It was amazing that he had the chance to go into a portal. I turned to Andrew, raising an eyebrow and giving a chuckle. “You really not gonna tell him?”

Andrew seemed to tense up, and crossed his arms. “There’s nothing to tell.”

I sighed, shaking my head. I really hoped he wasn’t being clueless. “Dude, everyone knows how in love you two are. You don’t tell him, someone else might. I’m just trying to look out for you-”

"MY BUSINESS IS MY OWN!" I jumped at the loudness of Andrew’s voice, not having expected him to practically scream at me. Hearing the whine of machinery starting up, we looked towards the portal that Danny stood inside of, one hand on the wall.

Andrew was the first to go running, screaming at Danny to get away from the portal. Sam held him back, keeping  two  of our friends from getting hurt. Even from here, I could hear it. It was unmistakable, I’d heard it so often. The sound of a button being pressed, something being pushed. The sound of a… 

Click.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

Day One : Portal : First Person : Danny

 

::

 

"I still can't believe your parents built a portal to the  underworld -" Cutting my friend off with a sigh, I had the feeling they already knew what I was about to say. Still, wouldn’t hurt to make  sure . 

 

"For the last time, Tuck, it's  not the underworld. It's an alternate dimension that holds the lingering energy of dead souls in the form of what you would call a 'ghost'. They have limited intelligence, dangerous powers, and should be eradicated on sight." Seeing Andrew roll his eyes out of the corner of my eyes, I suppressed a sigh. Here comes the ‘Fenton brainwashing’ lecture.

 

"How much of that did you come up with, and how much was drilled into you?" That...now that I thought of it, that was actually a good question. How many of my opinions on ghosts  were  from my parents?

 

"Like...probably...a lot of it drilled, I think? Like...98% drilled into my head. Probably. Maybe.” Alright Danny, shut up now before you say something that gets you sad stares and Andrew’s heartbreaking look of hopelessness- Like Christmas. Oo, do not want a repeat of that, thank you very much. “You know, I seem to remember that we were  supposed  to be going to the movies today."

 

At Tucker’s grin, I had a feeling we wouldn’t be going anywhere any time soon. "Yeah, until you told us your parents had some portal to another dimension. How many other kids have an alternate dimension in their basement?"

 

"Three off the top of my head," I shot back, tucking my arms behind me and giving my best smile. Hardly my fault if weird kids found other weird kids, after all. Oh man, that summer road trip to Gravity Falls last year...now, that one was just  weird . 

 

"...I... I can't tell if you're joking or not, and that deeply worries me, Danny." A quick pause and Sam was narrowing her eyes. "I want the names of these kids."

 

"Sorry, confidentially between kids who have seen weird shit. I am unable to release the information at this time." Dipper would probably kill me if I spoke a word, anyways.

 

Seeing Andrew sigh and put a hand to his forehead, I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. "Why are you so over dramatic? It's a wonder you're not in the drama department." Now, that was just rude.

 

"Okay, I am not as dramatic as those people- I'm pretty sure four of them are attempting to take over the school! I refuse to have anything to do with them.  Anything. Besides, as for being overdramatic? Let's be honest." Putting on my cutest look, I half jumped to his side, leaning against him- Not like he would ever let me fall. "You love me for it."

 

"I still wonder about that." Yeah, yeah. Pout all you want, Andrew, I can still see your smile. The very nice smile- No! Bad Danny! No thoughts like that about your friend!

 

Hearing Tucker take in a breath to yell, I glanced over. "Lovebirds!"

 

"We are not lovebirds!" Okay, so...speaking at the same time in the same way probably hadn’t helped our case any- I mean, it’s not like I have a crush on him just because he’s my best friend! Do I happen to like him? Of course! He’s awesome! Do I happen to  like , like him? Of course not! That...that’d be ridiculous. 

 

"Obviously not. I mean, it's not like you two spend every waking moment together. Or finish each other's sentences and talk at the same time. Or always seem to know what the other is thinking. No. How could anyone  ever think  you two were  ever together? Truly, such a thought is blasphemy."

 

Huffing, I turned away from Sam, even as Andrew spoke. "Yes, blasphemous. Just like the idea of  you liking hi-" Hearing the words stop, I didn’t even get to glance over before I felt something crashing into my head and sending me to the floor. And  goddamn  did that hurt. "My point, exactly."

 

"I will strangle you with that scarf, decapitate you, and then stick your head on a pike and wave it in front of your mother." Jesus fucking Christ, Sammy, why the hell are you still not in juvie?!

 

"You would never do that to her." ...Andrew wasn’t wrong.  No one  could do that to someone as sweet as Aunt Sylvia.

 

"...Point. I'd do it to Randy." Rubbing my head, and climbing to my feet, I looked over to Sam, who gave a smile. "By the way, I need my shoe back."

 

"Why...did that hurt so bad..." Felt like getting shoved into a locker- Something I was far too used to, as it was.

 

"The entire bottom is coated with steel." Handing the shoe back, I had to wonder if it was something I should  really  do. Who coated their shoes in  steel ?! "Thank you."

 

"Now, can we get to our movie?" Shoe successfully handed off, I headed to Andrew. And if I happened to be standing behind him and using him as a shield? Well...I’m sure he wouldn’t mind too much. "It'll be starting soon." Besides, the sooner we were out of here, the better. Something just felt...off. 

 

Tucker put a hand to his head, which had me rolling my eyes again. "Hang on. You're telling me you have a portal and you would rather go see a movie than go in it?"

 

"...You… You  honestly expect him to go into a portal meant for another dimension? Are you  trying to get him killed?" Good ole Sam. Then again...maybe a quick look wouldn’t hurt- Just to make sure I wasn’t losing my mind! It just...it sounded like there was something on the other side of the portal but...but there couldn’t be. "That just... That is a bad idea. No matter how you look at it."

 

"Calm down, you two. There's merit to both sides.” Nodding at seeing Andrew distracting the other two, I carefully sneaked over to where the hazmat suits were- It was still a place that could be filled with radiation, after all. “If he does go in, he can find new scientific discoveries we've never even  dreamed of. On the other hand, it's also very likely he could get very injured and possibly kill-... He is  not going in." Welp. Not gonna like what I’m doing, then.

 

"Then what do you call what he's doing right now?"

 

Oh shit. "Danny!"

 

"Okay, I know this  looks bad...but really, I mean, this is a portal to another  world , right?” Who knew what was on the other side of that thing? Even if it didn’t work...I just… I  needed  to go in there. “And I mean, Mom and Dad couldn't even get this thing to work. It probably won't matter if I just take a quick look inside, right?" Stopping in front of the entrance, I felt my fingers twitch. Something...wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t right, either...

 

Startled out of my thoughts by two hands wrapping around my own, I looked up to Andrew, surprised to see how worried he looked. "Are you sure about this?" Really, Andy. You should be  used  to dealing with my stupid ideas by now.

 

"Yeah- I mean, yeah." I  have  to go in there. "I mean, it's gonna be fine. Just a quick look inside and then we can go see that ridiculous movie - you know, the cheesy romcom I might want to see for not so ironic reasons." Maybe if I try really hard I could pretend I was on a date- Nope! Bad thoughts!

 

Feeling the hands around mine tighten, I felt myself smile. "Alright... just be careful."

 

"Guh- AAAAYYYY!" Snorting at Tucker’s bad humor, and Andrew’s glare, I shook my head, tightening my own grip around Andrew’s hands to get his attention. 

 

"Hey, come on, it's  fine . I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

 

"Whoop, you jinxed it," Looking over to Sam, I sighed as she shrugged. She probably wasn’t wrong, but still, she didn’t have to  say  it. "Any time you wanna go inside and stop holding hands-"

 

"You are a cruel Sammy!" Letting go of Andrew’s hands, although I really,  really  didn’t want to, I turned back to the portal, cautiously stepping inside. It really was amazing, how much effort Mom and Dad had put into this… There was something buzzing in the air - almost like electricity. The way it was...maybe it really  could  have opened a gateway to another world. 

 

Absently leaning my hand against the left side as I walked, I gauged the distance. It was only a few feet to the back, although the occasional sparking wire had me suddenly doubting the idea of me coming in. Had they unplugged the portal before going upstairs? They...they probably had, right? They wouldn’t just leave equipment like this on, right?

 

I heard faint laughter from my friends, shrugging it off before taking a few more steps. As amazing as this all seemed, something was… Maybe I should just-

 

"MY BUSINESS IS MY OWN!"  Jesus  Andrew! Give me a heart attack why don’t you?! Feeling a misstep, I quickly threw my hand out to catch myself, wincing at the sharp feeling of something pressing into my palm. Freezing at hearing a whine of machinery, I felt myself go cold. No...there couldn’t have been… 

 

In that moment, I heard what seemed to be  everything . I heard my heart pounding away in my chest, I heard energy building and streaking through the air, I heard gears grinding together, I heard my friends -  Andrew  \- screaming for me to get out, and yet the loudest thing, the thing that seemed to  echo  for an eternity…

 

Click. 

  
  


 


	2. Day Two : Portal : Third Person

Day Two : Portal : Third Person

::

Danny slowly opened his eyes, blinking away the exhaustion as he looked around. It was easy to recognize the green swirling energy of the Ghost Zone, but how did he even get there? Hearing the sound of humming, he turned, seeing he was floating in front of a large white building. Flying closer to it, as though it were second nature and not giving a thought to it, he touched down at the entrance, looking at the elegant door. It had many swirling designs, and two stone lions seemed to be guarding it. As he had gotten closer to the building, it was as though the humming had gotten louder.

"You know, Vidya, it would be really nice if you would actually try to  explain things before- Before..." Andrew Riter trailed off from where he was complaining to his lair, startled at the ghost that was standing in front of the door that had just opened. "Who...are you?" There was definitely something strange about the new ghost- Had he formed here, or what? No one came around his lair. Not including the strangeness of  that , it was almost like he felt a pull- Oh...oh, no...

Danny looked at him curiously. He could tell there was something... off about the ghost. It felt like something was tugging him towards the ghost. He stared, before his gaze slid away, and he looked around at the millions of books, stored away on shelves. Guess he was in a library, then. He looked back to the ghost, who seemed to be looking at him with shock. "Um... Danny. Danny F-... Hm... I can't- F- Ph- Phe- Phanton. Phantom. I think that's right. Maybe."

"I, uh... Uh...huh..." Right. This new ghost who had just formed was, apparently, to be his ghostly mate. Who had just died. He...he could make sense of this. Probably. Maybe. Possibly- He was fucking doomed. "I, ah...would you like...to come in?"

Danny’s eyes widened. "Oh, I, uh, yeah, thanks?" He glanced around the library as he floated a foot inside. "So... you wouldn't happen to know how I got here, would you?"

"Ah, that, might be a little complicated to explain..." How do you tell someone they just died, after all? It was a well established fact that if one happened upon a new ghost they would do their best to help them out, but for that new ghost to be the other's mate? That was new territory. "How much do you know about ghosts?"

He shrugged. "Well, I mean, they're ectoplasmic beings of post human consciousness. What about them?" He wasn't sure exactly how he knew that, but it sounded right.

This was going to be a lot more complicated than Andrew had first thought... "I suppose they could be classified as such..." Trailing off, he studied the rather small teen in front of him. "I'm trying to find the best way to inform you that you  are one.”

Danny narrowed his eyes, backing away. "I don't know what kind of joke this is, but it's not a funny one. I'm not a ghost, I'm a ghost  hunter. "

"Your current state of being says otherwise," Andrew rolled his eyes, gesturing to the other. Okay, a bit cruel. He might want to consider not pissing this one off. "Look, I'm sorry, but no matter what you believe yourself to be, you  are a ghost now."

Danny shook his head. "No... no, you're wrong. I can't be-..." Looking down at himself, he saw the shirt that he very clearly remembered as not being black, and an ethereal glow surrounding him. He fell to the ground, staring in shock. Hearing the humming again, with a more comforting tone, he found the ability to speak. "I... I'm  dead. How..."

"That I'm not quite sure of." He certainly had a theory, considering the electrocution marks on the boy's left arm, but he'd rather not bring back any death memories right now. He was already out of his element enough just by  interacting  with someone. Sighing, and bending down, he hesitantly set a hand on the teen's shoulder. "I really am sorry for what happened to you, but I don't think you should be thinking on it right now. It's better to let these things come naturally."

He looked up at the ghost- yes, now he could tell this was a ghost- in front of him with horror. "Not think about it?! I'm dead! I died! What else am I supposed to think about?!" He couldn't even remember any of his family, or friends... he knew he had them, but...

"Uh... Actually, I'm not very sure. I'm not really the reassuring type, especially when it comes to these things..." Distraction would probably be best for now. Something to keep him from his thoughts until his memories could come back slowly, instead of all at once. "Would you like some tea?"

Danny narrowed his eyes. "What are you, British?"

"French, actually. I did live in Britain, however. Now, tea or coffee?"

"I'll only have the coffee if you can make it sweet enough to kill a lemon."

"...I have never heard a phrase like that, and it somewhat impresses me." Standing up, Andrew held his hand out, tilting his head in silent question. "And yes, I can make it sweet enough to 'kill a lemon', I suppose."

Danny gave a small nod, and took the hand, letting himself be guided to the kitchen. Hearing the humming take a more amused tone, he glanced around curiously. "So... can you hear a weird kind of humming, too? Or is that just me?"

"There goes that hope, then..." Andrew quietly muttered, reaching for two cups. "Yes, Danny, I can hear the humming. It's my lair - this building - Vidya. Humming is how she communicates, although other lairs have other methods of communications." He'd save the information about only the owner of the lair and their mate only being able to hear the lair for later. Much later.

"Huh. Interesting. Never knew that lairs had minds of their own." He sat down at the table, watching the ghost. "You never said your name."

"G- ...Andrew. Andrew Riter."

"...Riter? Wow. What are you, a cliche wrapped in a stereotype?"

"Says the ghost hunter turned into a ghost," Andrew hummed, pouring half the bowl of sugar into Danny's coffee before setting it in front of him. "And I'll have you know that cliches, when used in the right way, can better a book greatly."

Danny shook his head, giving a sigh. "What even are you..." He took a sip of the coffee, and glanced to the open book on the table, nearly spitting out the drink upon realizing what it was. "Is that The Soundless Clock?!"

"Hm? You've heard of it?" Andrew asked, looking at the book with a sigh. "I was trying to check for continuity, and I can't tell what I was aiming for in the earlier chapters anymore. I know I added a loophole for the next book, but I can't remember where..."

He looked at him in shock, and it was as though he was looking at the ghost in a whole new light. "Are you... Did you..." It was too good to be true, there was no way he was that lucky.

Noticing the teen's expression, Andrew slowly raised an eyebrow. "I have the feeling you're trying to ask if I wrote the book - and yes, I did. I had multiple pen names when alive, and that just happened to be one of them. Your coffee is getting cold, by the way. Also, you might want to consider breathing, even if you don't need to."

He slowly gave a smile, and tackled Andrew to the ground. "YOU WROTE IT?! OH MY GOD, I LOVED THAT BOOK SO MUCH IT'S MY FAVORITE  ANDYOU'RETHEONEWHOWROTEITYOUHAVETOTELLMEEVERYTHINGOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMY- "

Placing his hands over the teen's mouth, Andrew looked torn between shock and amusement, glasses half off his face from the sudden tackle. "I'm going to be honest and say I have no clue how to act right now." Pausing, he gave a slight smile. "You liked the book that much?"

"Uh, duh! It was great! Except for the airship gala, but we mostly don't talk about that."

"...To be fair, I could fix that in book three."

Danny held his hands up. "Woah, woah, wait. Book three?! There's only one book!"

"Well, one book  published , at least," Andrew grinned, floating off the ground and pulling Danny with him. "The manuscripts are done for the most part, besides a little more work with continuity."

He gave the ghost a squeeze, smiling up at him. "I think I'm in love with you."

"I have a feeling this would be a lot more amusing if I wasn't so doomed..." Andrew quietly muttered, carefully ruffling the other's hair. "Would you like to read the manuscripts?" The teen was his mate, anyways. Couldn’t hurt to let him read them. 

He gave a small gasp. "Can I?"

Oh god he was adorable... He was utterly, completely,  absolutely adorable. He was doomed. He was completely doomed. There was no escape at this point - and the rather pathetic thing was that he didn't even  want an escape. "Why do I have the feeling I'm going to end up letting you read everything I have... Well, I suppose I need someone to help me edit the next four books in Star Gazers, anyways..."

"YOU WROTE STAR GAZERS, TOO?!"

Every higher being in the universes was laughing at him. He could  feel it. "...I have a feeling if I say yes you'll tackle me again."

He put his hands behind his back, putting on his most angelic look possible. "Never. Wait- woah- wait a second. Next  four?! "

"Six in the series, not including the prequel."

Danny gave a sigh, flopping down to the chair. "If this is what heaven is like, I don't ever wanna leave."

"I'm not sure whether to be amused, or worried..." Andrew hummed, collecting their cups and heading for one of the readings areas. "The sequel to The Soundless Clock is already written, of course."

"Are you trying to gain my undying loyalty and everlasting love? Cause it's working." He followed the ghost, tail forming before he wrapped it around the ghost's wrist. "It's definitely working."

"My evil master plan is a success then." This was going to be an interesting next few years... "Would you rather start with the sequel, or read the prequel with Andrea's mother and find out why the deal was made?"

"Yes."

"...Honestly shouldn't have expected anything differently." He was never letting this teen out of his sight. Anyone who tried to take him was going to meet his complete and utter wrath and  death. "Hm...I wonder if I should tell you about the short story I had planned for the General and how he came to join the military - as well as his two friends."

Danny wrapped his arms around the ghost's neck, hanging off his back. "You are the best, and you are awesome and I am never leaving. Ever... Ain't that a twist on the story? The knight in shining glasses trapped the hero."

"Ah, but mon cher, I am not the knight. I am the ferocious dragon guard here to make sure you never leave." Glancing back, Andrew gave a rather wicked smirk. "Dragons are rather good at tempting others, after all."

Danny gave a small grin, trying to ignore the humming that sounded suspiciously like laughter, and the warmth spreading on his face. "So, I, uh, sequel? Weren't you saying something about that?" Because that smirk was not fair, and he frankly didn't want to think too much about his reaction.

Andrew gave a light laugh, soft smile on his face. "Oui, mon cher. Would you rather start from the sequel, or from the beginning?"

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

Day Two : Portal : First Person : Andrew 

 

::

 

"You know, Vidya, it would be really nice if you would actually try to  explain things before- Before..." Opening my lair’s door, I found my words trailing off at seeing what was in front of me. It was one thing to see the occasional ghost who tried to be my ‘friend’, but to see one I’ve never met? “Who...are you?” As if his sudden appearance wasn’t strange enough, he looked as if he had no clue where he was- Had he just formed? ...In front of Vidya? 

 

That couldn’t be… There was no way the ghost had formed here. Not when that could only mean… Feeling the lightest of tugs that made me want to edge closer to the ghost, I felt my face go slack in shock. There was no way  this  ghost could be my  mate . He didn’t even look like he was out of high school!

 

"Um... Danny. Danny F-... Hm... I can't- F- Ph- Phe- Phanton. Phantom. I think that's right. Maybe." The new ghost was rather confused, and seemed to be taking everything in as best he could. I would have been amused if it wasn’t for the fact this ghost was my  mate . 

 

"I, uh... Uh...huh..." Right. This ghost had just formed, was your ghostly mate, and had just died. You could make sense of this, Riter… You could definitely- Nope. I was doomed. I was fucking  doomed . The fact I was feeling sympathy for just how small and scared he looked made me feel even  worse .  "I, ah...would you like...to come in?"

 

"Oh, I, uh, yeah, thanks?" The other floated inside a small amount, just enough for the door to close as he looked around. "So... you wouldn't happen to know how I got here, would you?"

 

"Ah, that, might be a little complicated to explain..." How was I supposed to tell this teen he had just died? I knew it was expected for older ghosts to help the younger ones if they were the first ones to happen upon them...but I was floundering now that I knew he was my mate. There wasn’t really a precedent for this, after all. I supposed I could start simply… "How much do you know about ghosts?"

 

The other - Danny - gave a shrug. "Well, I mean, they're ectoplasmic beings of post human consciousness. What about them?" 

 

This was going to be a lot more complicated than I first thought… If he had knowledge like this of ghosts, then… "I suppose they could be classified as such..." Now or never, I supposed. "I'm trying to find the best way to inform you that you  are one.”

 

Danny narrowed his eyes, backing away. "I don't know what kind of joke this is, but it's not a funny one. I'm not a ghost, I'm a ghost  hunter. "

 

"Your current state of being says otherwise." Okay, that was a bit cruel. Still, a hunter? My luck… Sighing, I softened my voice as best I could. "Look, I'm sorry, but no matter what you believe yourself to be, you  are a ghost now."

 

Danny shook his head. "No... no, you're wrong. I can't be-..." Slightly wincing at seeing him fall to the ground in shock, I absently heard Vidya reassuring him as best she could. "I... I'm  dead. How..."

 

"That I'm not quite sure of." Judging by the webbing of scars around his left arm, it was most likely electrocution. Still, best not to bring back any memories of his actual death right now. Not until he became more used to things. He looked so small, though… Bending down with a sigh, I carefully set my hand on his shoulder. "I really am sorry for what happened to you, but I don't think you should be thinking on it right now. It's better to let these things come naturally."

 

Danny gave me a look of horror. "Not think about it?! I'm dead! I died! What else am I supposed to think about?!"

 

"Uh... Actually, I'm not very sure. I'm not really the reassuring type, especially when it comes to these things..." Distraction would probably be best for now. Something to keep him from his thoughts until his memories could come back slowly, instead of all at once. "Would you like some tea?"

 

Danny narrowed his eyes. "What are you, British?" Hm, close.

 

"French, actually. I did live in Britain, however. Now, tea or coffee?"

 

"I'll only have the coffee if you can make it sweet enough to kill a lemon."

 

"...I have never heard a phrase like that, and it somewhat impresses me." Standing up, and holding my hand out, I gave a small smile. "And yes, I can make it sweet enough to 'kill a lemon', I suppose." Maybe this teen wasn’t so bad… 

 

Danny gave a small nod, taking my hand and letting me guide him towards the kitchen. Hearing Vidya give an amused hum, I saw him look around curiously. "So... can you hear a weird kind of humming, too? Or is that just me?"

 

"There goes that hope, then..." He can hear Vidya. There was no hope of me escaping. "Yes, Danny, I can hear the humming. It's my lair - this building - Vidya. Humming is how she communicates, although other lairs have other methods of communications." I’d save the information about only the owner of the lair and their mate only being able to hear the lair for later. Much later.

 

"Huh. Interesting. Never knew that lairs had minds of their own." He sat down at the table, watching me as I prepared our coffee. "You never said your name."

 

"G- ...Andrew. Andrew Riter." Might as well as give him my  real  name, instead of my ghostly one. I had a feeling I wouldn’t be getting rid of him anytime soon, after all. 

 

"...Riter? Wow. What are you, a cliche wrapped in a stereotype?"

 

"Says the ghost hunter turned into a ghost," I shot back, pouring half the bowl of sugar into his coffee before setting it in front of him. "And I'll have you know that cliches, when used in the right way, can better a book greatly."

 

Danny shook his head, giving a sigh. "What even are you..." He took a sip of the coffee, and glanced to the open book I had left on the table. I was amused by how it took effort for him to not spit out his coffee. "Is that The Soundless Clock?!"

 

"Hm? You've heard of it?" Strange, it was rather old, after all. I still couldn’t suppress the sigh I let out at seeing it. If I could just find that loophole… "I was trying to check for continuity, and I can't tell what I was aiming for in the earlier chapters anymore. I know I added a loophole for the next book, but I can't remember where..."

 

"Are you... Did you..." 

 

Seeing just how shocked the teen looked, I slowly raised an eyebrow.  "I have the feeling you're trying to ask if I wrote the book - and yes, I did. I had multiple pen names when alive, and that just happened to be one of them. Your coffee is getting cold, by the way. Also, you might want to consider breathing, even if you don't need to.” Maybe he liked the book. That would be a pleasant surprise. 

 

My thoughts were then cut off as I was  tackled  to the ground.  "YOU WROTE IT?! OH MY GOD, I LOVED THAT BOOK SO MUCH IT'S MY FAVORITE  ANDYOU'RETHEONEWHOWROTEITYOUHAVETOTELLMEEVERYTHINGOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMY- "

 

Placing my hands over the teen's mouth, I could feel myself hovering somewhere between shock and amusement. He...loved the book that much? It hadn’t even been that  good . "I'm going to be honest and say I have no clue how to act right now." Pausing, I gave a small smile. "You liked the book that much?"

 

"Uh, duh! It was great! Except for the airship gala, but we mostly don't talk about that." Oo, this brat. 

 

"...To be fair, I could fix that in book three."

 

Danny held his hands up. "Woah, woah, wait. Book three?! There's only one book!"

 

"Well, one book  published , at least," I grinned, floating off the ground and pulling him up with me. "The manuscripts are done for the most part, besides a little more work with continuity."

 

Danny hugged me again while smiling. "I think I'm in love with you."

 

"I have a feeling this would be a lot more amusing if I wasn't so doomed..." On one hand, this was amusing. On the other...I was so doomed. I mean...this kid was  adorable . "Would you like to read the manuscripts?" The teen was his mate, anyways. Couldn’t hurt to let him read them.

 

I heard a quiet gasp. "Can I?"

 

Oh god he was adorable... He was utterly, completely,  absolutely adorable. I was doomed. I was completely doomed. There was no escape at this point - and the rather pathetic thing was that I didn't even  want an escape. "Why do I have the feeling I'm going to end up letting you read everything I have... Well, I suppose I need someone to help me edit the next four books in Star Gazers, anyways..."

 

"YOU WROTE STAR GAZERS, TOO?!"

 

Every higher being in the universes was laughing at me. I could  feel it. "...I have a feeling if I say yes you'll tackle me again."

 

He put his hands behind his back, putting on the most angelic look I had ever seen. "Never. Wait- woah- wait a second. Next  four?! "

 

"Six in the series, not including the prequel."

 

Danny gave a sigh, flopping down to the chair. "If this is what heaven is like, I don't ever wanna leave."

 

"I'm not sure whether to be amused, or worried..." Collecting our cups, I made my way for one of the reading rooms, making sure he was following. "The sequel to The Soundless Clock is already written, of course."

 

"Are you trying to gain my undying loyalty and everlasting love? Cause it's working." I was slightly surprised by the ghostly tail that wrapped around my wrist, but was more caught up in just what he had said. "It's definitely working."

 

"My evil master plan is a success then." This was going to be an interesting next few years... "Would you rather start with the sequel, or read the prequel with Andrea's mother and find out why the deal was made?"

 

"Yes."

 

"...Honestly shouldn't have expected anything differently." I was never letting this teen out of his sight. Anyone who tried to take him was going to meet my complete and utter wrath and  death. "Hm...I wonder if I should tell you about the short story I had planned for the General and how he came to join the military - as well as his two friends."

 

Danny wrapped his arms around my neck, hanging off my back. "You are the best, and you are awesome and I am never leaving. Ever... Ain't that a twist on the story? The knight in shining glasses trapped the hero."

 

"Ah, but mon cher, I am not the knight. I am the ferocious dragon guard here to make sure you never leave." Mon cher, huh… I really  am  doomed. "Dragons are rather good at tempting others, after all."

 

Seeing the small grin, and blush, I felt my own smile grow. "So, I, uh, sequel? Weren't you saying something about that?"

 

Giving another laugh, I slightly shook my head. Interesting, indeed. "Oui, mon cher. Would you rather start from the sequel, or from the beginning?"

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

Day Two : Portal : First Person : Danny

 

::

 

I slowly opened my eyes, blinking away the exhaustion as I looked around. It was easy to recognize the green swirling energy of the Ghost Zone, but how did I even get there? Hearing the sound of humming, I turned, seeing I was floating in front of a large white building. Flying closer to it, as though it were second nature and not giving a thought to it, I touched down at the entrance, looking at the elegant door. It had many swirling designs, and two stone lions seemed to be guarding it. As I had gotten closer to the building, it was as though the humming had gotten louder.

 

The doors opened grandly, revealing a man who seemed to be talking to himself, looking up at the ceiling with annoyance. "You know, Vidya, it would be really nice if you would actually try to  explain things before- Before… Who… are you?" 

 

I looked at him curiously. I could tell there was something... off about the man. It felt like something was tugging me towards the him. I stared, before my gaze slid away, and I looked around at the millions of books, stored away on shelves.  Guess I’m in a library, then. I looked back to the ghost, who seemed to be looking at me with shock. "Um... Danny. Danny F-... Hm... I can't- F- Ph- Phe- Phanton. Phantom. I think that's right. Maybe."

 

"I, uh... Uh… huh..." He acted weird, too, like he just realized the end of the world was today, or something. And I was pretty sure it wasn’t. "I, ah...would you like...to come in?"

 

My eyes widened at the hospitality. "Oh, I, uh, yeah, thanks?" I glanced around the library as I floated a foot inside. "So... you wouldn't happen to know how I got here, would you?" Because I couldn’t remember much, but I knew I shouldn’t be in the damn  Ghost Zone.

 

"Ah, that, might be a little complicated to explain..." The man seemed to be dealing with some internal conflict, like he was trying to figure out if he should even tell me. "How much do you know about ghosts?"

 

I shrugged. That wasn’t that hard of an answer to think about. I knew a lot about ghosts. "Well, I mean, they're ectoplasmic beings of post human consciousness. What about them?" I wasn't sure exactly how I knew that, but it sounded right.

 

The man slowly nodded. "I suppose they could be classified as such..." Trailing off, he studied me, and I lifted my chin. "I'm trying to find the best way to inform you that you  are one.”

 

I narrowed my eyes, backing away. "I don't know what kind of joke this is, but it's not a funny one. I'm not a ghost, I'm a ghost  hunter. "

 

"Your current state of being says otherwise," He rolled his eyes, gesturing to me. "Look, I'm sorry, but no matter what you believe yourself to be, you  are a ghost now."

 

I shook my head. "No... no, you're wrong. I can't be-..." Looking down at myself, I saw the shirt that I very clearly remembered as not being black, and an ethereal glow surrounding me. Not to mention the swirls burned into my skin, wrapping around me, heavily concentrated in my left arm and hand. My feet hit the ground as I stared at my hands in shock. Hearing the humming again, with a more comforting tone, I found the ability to speak. "I... I'm  dead. How..."

 

"That I'm not quite sure of." Sighing, and bending down, he set a hand on my shoulder, and spoke to me with a warm, comforting tone. "I really am sorry for what happened to you, but I don't think you should be thinking on it right now. It's better to let these things come naturally."

 

I looked up at the ghost- yes, now I could tell this was a ghost- in front of me with horror. "Not think about it?! I'm dead! I died! What else am I supposed to think about?!" I couldn't even remember any of my family, or friends... I knew I had them, but…

 

"Uh... Actually, I'm not very sure. I'm not really the reassuring type, especially when it comes to these things…” I didn’t know what else to do, other than stare at the ghost. Though his next words took me by surprise. "Would you like some tea?"

 

I narrowed my eyes, again. What was with this guy? Telling me I was dead, then offering me a cup of tea like it was no big deal? "What are you, British?"

 

"French, actually. I did live in Britain, however. Now, tea or coffee?"

 

I crossed crossed arms. "I'll only have the coffee if you can make it sweet enough to kill a lemon."

 

"...I have never heard a phrase like that, and it somewhat impresses me." Standing up, the ghost held his hand out, tilting his head in silent question. "And yes, I can make it sweet enough to 'kill a lemon', I suppose."

 

I gave a small nod, and took the hand, letting myself be guided to the kitchen. Hearing the humming take a more amused tone, I glanced around curiously. "So... can you hear a weird kind of humming, too? Or is that just me?"

 

"There goes that hope, then..." He quietly muttered, reaching for two cups. "Yes, Danny, I can hear the humming. It's my lair - this building - Vidya. Humming is how she communicates, although other lairs have other methods of communications." 

 

This new information I received cleared my mind of the question about that first bit the ghost had muttered. "Huh. Interesting. Never knew that lairs had minds of their own." I sat down at the table, watching the ghost. "You never said your name."

 

"G- ...Andrew. Andrew Riter."

 

I scoffed. Made sense, he was probably the nerdy author type. "...Riter? Wow. What are you, a cliche wrapped in a stereotype?"

 

"Says the ghost hunter turned into a ghost," Andrew hummed, pouring half the bowl of sugar into my coffee before setting it in front of me. "And I'll have you know that cliches, when used in the right way, can better a book greatly."

 

I shook my head, giving a sigh. "What even are you..." I took a sip of the coffee, and glanced to the open book on the table, nearly spitting out the drink upon realizing what it was. All it had taken was seeing the name Andrea. "Is that The Soundless Clock?!"

 

"Hm? You've heard of it?" Andrew asked, looking at the book with a sigh. "I was trying to check for continuity, and I can't tell what I was aiming for in the earlier chapters anymore. I know I added a loophole for the next book, but I can't remember where..."

 

I looked at him in shock, and it was as though I was looking at the ghost in a whole new light. The way he said those words… It was like  he was the author. "Are you... Did you..." It was too good to be true, there was no way I was that lucky.

 

Noticing my expression, Andrew slowly raised an eyebrow. "I have the feeling you're trying to ask if I wrote the book - and yes, I did. I had multiple pen names when alive, and that just happened to be one of them. Your coffee is getting cold, by the way. Also, you might want to consider breathing, even if you don't need to."

 

I slowly gave a smile, and tackled Andrew to the ground. "YOU WROTE IT?! OH MY GOD, I LOVED THAT BOOK SO MUCH IT'S MY FAVORITE  ANDYOU'RETHEONEWHOWROTEITYOUHAVETOTELLMEEVERYTHINGOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMY- "

 

Placing his hands over my mouth, Andrew looked torn between shock and amusement, glasses half off his face from the sudden tackle. "I'm going to be honest and say I have no clue how to act right now." Pausing, he gave a slight smile. "You liked the book that much?"

 

I laughed, giving the obvious answer. "Uh, duh! It was great! Except for the airship gala, but we mostly don't talk about that."

 

"...To be fair, I could fix that in book three."

 

I held my hands up. This was new information, to me. "Woah, woah, wait. Book three?! There's only one book!"

 

"Well, one book  published , at least," Andrew grinned, floating off the ground and pulling me with him. "The manuscripts are done for the most part, besides a little more work with continuity."

 

I gave the ghost a squeeze, smiling up at him. "I think I'm in love with you."

 

"I have a feeling this would be a lot more amusing if I wasn't so doomed..." Andrew quietly muttered, carefully ruffling my hair. "Would you like to read the manuscripts?"

 

I gave a small gasp. My favorite author was asking if I wanted read the manuscripts to the sequels to my favorite book. Based on how often Tucker hid his writing, I knew this was huge. "Can I?"

 

Andrew gave me a look of adoration, strangely enough. "Why do I have the feeling I'm going to end up letting you read everything I have... Well, I suppose I need someone to help me edit the next four books in Star Gazers, anyways..."

 

My eyes widened impossibly further. "YOU WROTE STAR GAZERS, TOO?!"

 

Andrew bit his lip. "...I have a feeling if I say yes you'll tackle me again."

 

I put my hands behind my back, putting on my most angelic look possible. "Never. Wait- woah- wait a second. Next  four?! "

 

"Six in the series, not including the prequel."

 

I gave a sigh, flopping down to the chair. "If this is what heaven is like, I don't ever wanna leave." After dying, I damn well deserved to go to heaven, with how much bull I put up with.

 

"I'm not sure whether to be amused, or worried..." Andrew hummed, collecting their cups and heading for one of the readings areas. "The sequel to The Soundless Clock is already written, of course."

 

"Are you trying to gain my undying loyalty and everlasting love?” I asked with exasperation. “Cause it's working." I followed the ghost, tail forming before I wrapped it around the ghost's wrist. "It's definitely working."

 

"My evil master plan is a success then. Would you rather start with the sequel, or read the prequel with Andrea's mother and find out why the deal was made?"

 

I thought of the two options, weighing the pros and cons of each, and nodded wisely. "Yes."

 

"...Honestly shouldn't have expected anything differently. Hm...I wonder if I should tell you about the short story I had planned for the General and how he came to join the military - as well as his two friends."

 

I wrapped my arms around the ghost's neck, hanging off his back. I was never going to let this ghost go. It was already proven I was clingy and stubborn as all hell. "You are the best, and you are awesome and I am never leaving. Ever... Ain't that a twist on the story? The knight in shining glasses trapped the hero."

 

"Ah, but mon cher, I am not the knight. I am the ferocious dragon guard here to make sure you never leave." Glancing back, Andrew gave a rather wicked smirk. "Dragons are rather good at tempting others, after all."

 

I gave a small grin, trying to ignore the humming that sounded suspiciously like laughter, and the warmth spreading on my face. "So, I, uh, sequel? Weren't you saying something about that?" Because that smirk was not fair, and I frankly didn't want to think too much about my reaction.

 

Andrew gave a light laugh, soft smile on his face. "Oui, mon cher. Would you rather start from the sequel, or from the beginning?"

 

 


	3. Day Three : Dream

Day Three: Dream : Third Person

::

Danny blinked as he looked around the familiar kitchen, everything in sharper vision than he was used to. His parents had pulled out the dining table, and his families were seated at the table, with Andrew at his right. At least, he thought it was Andrew. It was a struggle to hold in his laughter at the facial hair. As everyone around them conversed, Danny leaned towards Andrew. "What's going on?"

Andrew gave a slight roll of his eyes, familiar expression of amusement on his face, "Please tell me you didn't /actually/ forget why we're here, mon cher. It was /your/ idea to begin with, after all."

At the peck to his cheek that seemed far too familiar, he gave a small laugh. "Well, I guess, I mean-" As his ghost sense went off, his eyes widened, and he tensed, looking for an easy escape. Seeing everyone's eyes on him expectantly, he stuttered. "I.. uh..."

Maddie waved her hand, giving a smile. "Oh, go on, then. Dinner can wait a moment for your friends."

Hearing a knock at the door, Danny carefully pushed away from the table, going to answer it. He opened it, and gave a smile. "Hey, there!"

Elle pulled her cousin into a hug. "Hey, cuz! I'm not late, am I?"

He shook his head. "No, we haven't started dinner, yet. Come on." As she entered, Vlad stepped up behind her. Danny gave him a nod, "Uncle Vlad."

"Daniel. I do apologize for the hold up."

Danny shook his head, his ponytail swishing across his neck. "No, no, it's fine. We saved a seat for you guys."

As they entered the kitchen, Danny settled back into his seat. Beside him, Andrew cleared his throat, nervous but warm smile on his face. "Now that you're all here... Danny and I actually have an announcement to make..."

Raising his eyebrow, Danny watched with amusement at his mate's antics- Wait...mate? Confusion mingled with the amusement as he looked up at Andrew. Glancing around, everyone seemed incredibly unsurprised by this.

Elle stood up, grinning. "Are you pregnant?!"

Andrew shook his head with a laugh. "Not quite." Andrew gave Danny a small smile, crossing his left arm over his chest to grab Danny's hand, and bringing both hands up over the table to reveal two silver rings. "We're officially engaged."

Danny sat up bolt straight, eyes darting around. What was /that?/ There was no way that had been real. Running his hand though his hair, it caught on pieces of metal, which he shook out with confusion. So then... was it a dream? Cause he certainly wasn't opposed to going back to sleep. But why was he even asleep in the /Ghost Zone?/ This would require investigation...

\---

Andrew tiredly rubbed at his eyes, looking around in slight confusion. He was obviously in his bedroom, Danny half asleep across his lap and Vidya sleeping at the end of the bed. The gentle sound of rain hitting glass drew his attention to the windows, where there was a late summer rain. It was certainly a familiar enough scene, but...hadn't he and Danny been going to the movies with the others?

"Hey, Danny..." Trailing off, he looked to the teen in his lap, the sense of something being /wrong/ tingling at the back of his mind. "Weren't we supposed to go to the movies with everyone, today?"

"We cancelled cause of the rain, remember? Besides," he said as he shifted, making himself more comfortable. "I think this is better than a movie."

"Well I certainly can't argue," Andrew chuckled, running a hand through Danny's hair, and slightly relaxing. He probably /did/ forget, it wasn't impossible, after all. And they never /really/ got to enjoy peaceful days. Still, something seemed... "I just feel...like we might be forgetting something."

Danny laughed. "Well, I mean, knowing you, you probably already did all your homework for the summer, so it can't be that."

"Excuse me for not leaving it until the last minute like /some/ people," Andrew mock huffed, lightly tugging on a lock of Danny's hair. Perking up at feeling a faint flash of ghostly energy, Andrew cautiously looked around. "Did...you feel that?"

"Feel what?" Well, he supposed there couldn't actually be a /ghost/, since Danny would have sensed it. So then...

"Nothing, I suppose... I just thought..." Giving another look around the room, Andrew felt himself become slightly unnerved. Even with it being a perfect summer day, it just...didn't feel like it should. "Probably just me being a bit paranoid."

Danny sat up, wrapping his arms around Andrew's neck and pulling him into a deep kiss. "You worry too much," he murmured against the other's lips.

"I- Ah- What?" This wasn't exactly a /new/ situation, but Danny initiating things? That was...that was definitely new. It wasn't anything /bad/, but certainly nothing expected.

Danny gave a warm laugh, kissing his cheek, and slowly moving down. "Nothing, it's nothing. Don't worry about it." He pressed a kiss to the medium's neck, before giving it a harsh bite.

Andrew was tumbling out of his bed with a jolt, darting up to see that it was night, and his blankets were wrapped around him from his thrashing. That...that had not be a normal dream. "I- Ah- What just happened..."

Danny crossed his legs in the air, biting his lip. "You were sleeping, and then you just... freaked out." It was probably safer to keep the truth to himself for a little while.

"I- Ah... Ye...ah..." Still a bit startled, he slowly narrowed his eyes. "Wait a second..." If he had been dreaming...then that flash of ghostly energy he had felt... That very /familiar/ flash of energy he had felt, right before Danny- "You little shit."

He shrugged. "I didn't know how else to wake you up!"

"You didn't think, 'Hey, Andrew, this is a dream being controlled by another ghost. Try waking up.' might help things along?"

"...To be fair, I'm not sure I would have believed it, in my dream." Andrew gave a sigh, before pausing and looking up to the ghost curiously. 

"What was your dream, then?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Eh, nothing much. I mean... mom and dad... They /knew./ And they were okay with it..." Realizing that he wasn't going to get much else out of the teen, Andrew sighed and stood up, untangling himself from the blanket.

"Alright, any idea what's been going on since...whatever happened happened? I vaguely remember a new ghost before that dream."

Danny gave a shrug. "I dunno, but I guess we'll find out. Come on. We gotta go wake up Sam and Tuck."

"I'm honored that you woke me up first, then," Andrew hummed, heading to the door before pausing and tugging Danny down for a rather deep kiss, holding him closely. "And in the spirit of full disclosure, I rather enjoyed how you chose to wake me up. If you ever have the urge to try again, please, do so. I certainly won't be resisting."

Danny's face was a bright green as he replied. "Well, I, uh... Ahem. Yeah. Okay. I'll remember that."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

Day Three: Dream : First Person : Danny

 

::

 

I blinked as I looked around the familiar kitchen, everything in sharper vision than I was used to. My parents had pulled out the dining table, and my families were seated at the table, with Andrew at my right. At least, I thought it was Andrew. It was a struggle to hold in my laughter at the facial hair. As everyone around us conversed, I leaned towards Andrew, and whispered to him. "What's going on?"

 

Andrew gave a slight roll of his eyes, familiar expression of amusement on his face, "Please tell me you didn't  actually forget why we're here, mon cher. It was  your idea to begin with, after all."

 

At the peck to my cheek that seemed far too familiar, I gave a small laugh. "Well, I guess, I mean-" As my ghost sense went off, my eyes widened, and I tensed, looking for an easy escape. Couldn’t exactly tell everyone I was running off to fight a ghost before dinner, could I? Seeing everyone's eyes on me expectantly, I stuttered. "I.. uh..."

 

Maddie waved her hand, giving a smile. "Oh, go on, then. Dinner can wait a moment for your friends."

 

Hearing a knock at the door, I carefully pushed away from the table, going to answer it. A ghost at the door? Not exactly what I expected. I opened it, and gave a smile. "Hey, there!"

 

Elle pulled me into a hug, and I ruffled her hair. "Hey, cuz! I'm not late, am I?"

 

I shook my head. "No, we haven't started dinner, yet. Come on." As she bounced inside, Vlad stepped up behind her. I gave him a nod, and a grin. "Uncle Vlad."

 

"Daniel. I do apologize for the hold up."

 

I shook my head, again, ponytail swishing across the back of my neck. "No, no, it's fine. We saved a seat for you guys."

 

As they entered the kitchen, I settled back into my seat. Beside ne, Andrew cleared his throat, nervous but warm smile on his face. "Now that you're all here... Danny and I actually have an announcement to make..."

 

Raising an eyebrow, I watched with amusement at my mate's antics- Wait...mate? Confusion mingled with the amusement as I looked up at Andrew. Glancing around, everyone seemed incredibly unsurprised by this announcement.

 

Elle stood up, grinning, mischief shining in her eyes. "Are you pregnant?!"

 

Andrew shook his head with a laugh. "Not quite." Andrew gave me a small smile, crossing his left arm over his chest to grab my hand, and bringing both hands up over the table to reveal two silver rings. "We're officially engaged."

 

I sat up bolt straight, eyes darting around. What was  that? There was no way that had been real. Running my hand through my hair, it caught on pieces of metal, which I shook out with confusion. So then... was it a dream? Cause I certainly wasn't opposed to going back to sleep. But why was I even asleep in the  Ghost Zone? This would require investigation...

 

\---

 

Looking down at Andrew, I smiled. When he was sleeping, he actually looked his age. I kinda hated to wake him up. He barely got enough sleep as it was. But someone had to, and I couldn’t just leave him like this. I bit my lip, and turned intangible, flying into him and overshadowing him. At least, I thought it was overshadowing, until I found I was in the dream. I could see through the crack in the closet door. Andrew was laying on the bed, with… me in his lap.

 

I watched my boyfriend sit up, looking around the room cautiously. "Did...you feel that?"

 

"Feel what?" It was weird, hearing my voice come out of a thing that wasn’t me.

 

"Nothing, I suppose... I just thought..." It looked like Andrew was starting to relax, again. How was I going to get him to wake up? It wasn’t like this was the same dream as mine. Though it was just as nice. "Probably just me being a bit paranoid." Oh… Oh, there was an idea.

 

I overshadowed the not-Danny and sat up, wrapping my arms around Andrew's neck and pulling him into a deep kiss. "You worry too much," I murmured against his lips.

 

"I- Ah- What?" I saw the red blush, and if this was going to be his reaction, maybe I should do stuff like this more often. Cause it definitely wasn’t  bad.

 

I gave a warm laugh, kissing his cheek, and slowly moving down. "Nothing, it's nothing. Don't worry about it." I pressed a kiss to his neck, humming against it before giving it a harsh bite.

 

I was thrown out of the dream in time to see Andrew tumbling out of his bed with a jolt, darting up to see that it was night, and his blankets were wrapped around him from his thrashing. "I- Ah- What just happened..."

 

I gave a snort at his reaction. I crossed my legs in the air, biting my lip. That reaction was almost even better. "You were sleeping, and then you just... freaked out." It was probably safer to keep the truth to myself for a little while, if I could.

 

"I- Ah... Ye...ah..." He slowly narrowed his eyes. "Wait a second..." It took a moment before he was glaring at me. "You little shit."

 

Well, there went that plan. I shrugged. "I didn't know how else to wake you up!"

 

"You didn't think, 'Hey, Andrew, this is a dream being controlled by another ghost. Try waking up.' might help things along?"

 

"...To be fair, I'm not sure I would have believed it, in my dream." Andrew gave a sigh, before pausing and looking up at me curiously. 

 

"What was your dream, then?"

 

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Eh, nothing much. I mean... mom and dad... They  knew. And they were okay with it..." That was really all I wanted to say about it, for now. Anything else, and… Andrew sighed and stood up, untangling himself from the blanket.

 

"Alright, any idea what's been going on since...whatever happened happened? I vaguely remember a new ghost before that dream."

 

I gave a shrug. "I dunno, but I guess we'll find out. Come on. We gotta go wake up Sam and Tuck."

 

"I'm honored that you woke me up first, then," Andrew hummed, heading to the door before pausing and tugging me down for a rather deep kiss, holding me closely, which wow. That was definitely unexpected. "And in the spirit of full disclosure, I rather enjoyed how you chose to wake me up. If you ever have the urge to try again, please, do so. I certainly won't be resisting."

 

I could tell my face was lit up like a Christmas Tree as I responded.. "Well, I, uh... Ahem. Yeah. Okay. I'll remember that."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

Day Three: Dream : First Person : Andrew

 

::

 

Tiredly rubbing my eyes, I looked around in slight confusion. I could tell I was in my bedroom, at least, and Danny was laying across my lap and half asleep. Vidya at the end of my bed like usual and- Was that rain? Yes. It was rain. Late summer storm, then. But...how were we here, when we were heading to the movies with the others?

 

"Hey, Danny..." Trailing off, I looked to the teen in his lap, the sense of something being  wrong tingling at the back of my mind. There was something here I wasn’t seeing, but what… "Weren't we supposed to go to the movies with everyone, today?"

 

"We cancelled cause of the rain, remember? Besides.” Pausing in his speech, he shifted around, making himself more comfortable. "I think this is better than a movie."

 

"Well I certainly can't argue.” Giving a light laugh, I ran a hand through the mess of tangled hair, absently wondering where he had last put the comb. Just because he was growing it out didn’t mean he could let it get this tangled- And maybe he was right. I was rather forgetful, a lot of times. Besides, we never got to  enjoy  our peaceful days. So this was rather like a blessing, and yet… Something seemed…"I just feel...like we might be forgetting something."

 

Danny laughed. "Well, I mean, knowing you, you probably already did all your homework for the summer, so it can't be that."

 

"Excuse me for not leaving it until the last minute like  some people.” Tugging a lock of his hair, I was distracted by the flash of ghostly energy- Of  familiar  ghostly energy, but...everything was too muddled to make it out, and there didn’t  seem  to be anything. "Did...you feel that?"

 

"Feel what?" Well, there couldn’t be a ghost then. Otherwise Danny would have sensed it, so then what… Maybe it was just my imagination. Still...

 

"Nothing, I suppose... I just thought..." Even with it being the perfect summer day, it just...didn’t feel like it should. Something felt  wrong . "Probably just me being a bit paranoid." Blinking at feeling arms wrap around my neck, I was startled out of my thoughts by  Danny  dragging me in for a kiss. And not one of the shy pecks he usually gave me. 

 

"You worry too much.” The words were said softly against my lips, and I had a feeling my face was bright red. 

 

"I- Ah- What?" This wasn't exactly a  new situation, but Danny initiating things? That was...that was definitely new. It wasn't anything  bad, but certainly nothing expected.

 

Danny gave a warm laugh, kissing my cheek, and slowly trailing the kisses downwards. "Nothing, it's nothing. Don't worry about it." At the kiss to my neck, I quickly bit my lip, flinching at the harsh bite that had me making a noise that was  definitely  not in pain. 

 

A split second later and I found myself tumbling out of bed and to the floor before I quickly pulled myself up to see it was night. So...a dream- But- Definitely not a normal dream. "I- Ah- What just happened..."

 

Hearing noise, I looked up to see Danny with his legs crossed in the air, and the teen biting his lip. "You were sleeping, and then you just... freaked out." 

 

"I- Ah... Ye...ah..." Wait...that wasn’t right... "Wait a second..." If I had been dreaming...then that flash of ghostly energy I had felt... That very  familiar  flash of energy I had felt, right before Danny- "You little shit."

 

He shrugged. "I didn't know how else to wake you up!"

 

"You didn't think, 'Hey, Andrew, this is a dream being controlled by another ghost. Try waking up.' might help things along?"

 

"...To be fair, I'm not sure I would have believed it, in my dream." I really shouldn’t even be surprised at this point- Wait.

 

"What was your dream, then?"

 

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Eh, nothing much. I mean... mom and dad... They  knew. And they were okay with it..." Realizing that there was more, and I wasn't going to get much else out of him, I stood up with a sigh, kicking the blankets off of me. 

 

"Alright, any idea what's been going on since...whatever happened happened? I vaguely remember a new ghost before that dream."

 

Danny gave a shrug. "I dunno, but I guess we'll find out. Come on. We gotta go wake up Sam and Tuck."

 

"I'm honored that you woke me up first, then.” Pausing at the door, and getting a rather wicked idea, I quickly spun around and pulled the other in, returning the kiss he had given me in the dream, as well as holding him closely- I was still rather upset I didn’t realize the first Danny had been a fake. "And in the spirit of full disclosure, I rather enjoyed how you chose to wake me up. If you ever have the urge to try again, please, do so. I certainly won't be resisting."

 

Danny's face was a bright green as he replied. "Well, I, uh... Ahem. Yeah. Okay. I'll remember that."

 

 


	4. Day Four : Dream

Day Four : Dream : Third Person

::

"Clueless. Utterly and completely clueless."

"What are you talking about  now, Manson?"

"I mean that you look at  him the same way  he looks at the stars. We all see it, Riter. Even he does. Why do you think he looks at you the same way?"

"Same way, huh... I'm finding that hard to believe, right now." This mess hadn't even  started out like a normal ghost attack. They had been surprised and overwhelmed and forced to sleep- Sam had managed to wake them up but then  Danny . Nocturne had said his 'potential was a waste' and 'it would be better to put those bright dreams to use.' Now, as if dealing with a homicidal ghost with plans to put the world to sleep wasn't enough, they had to deal with a rogue Danny who was intent on sending them all back to sleep.

Danny stared at the humans blankly. He tilted his head. Why were they so intent on staying awake? Didn't they see that staying asleep was so much easier? "Master will not be pleased if you do not sleep. Why will you not sleep?"

"Gee, it's such a mystery as to why we don't want to sleep when there's a maniac trying to destroy the  world . Truly, something that will never be answered!" Lowering his voice, Andrew looked over to Tucker. "Go help Sam and Jazz with Nocturne. I'll find a way to snap Danny out of this." Hopefully.

Watching as one of the two ran off, he lazily waved his hand, sending sleepwalkers after him. "Master wishes not harm. He only wishes sweet dreams. Don't you want that? He could devise a dream better than the last."

Remembering just  what his last dream had been about - or just  who \- Andrew frowned and moved to stand out in the open, arms crossed. "I'd rather stay awake, thanks. Dreams are just that, Danny.  Dreams . It's nice to reflect on them, and use them to aspire to something, but it's useless to live in them all our lives. It's pointless, and like putting rose colored glasses over a world we know is burning."

Danny narrowed his eyes. How dare this inferior being deny what his master had told him to be true. How dare he defy him. Danny held his hand out, the swirling black creating a small building. "You lie. Dreams can create civilizations..." The building slowly grew, multiplying and growing. "Or destroy them." He crushed his hand, the flowing black curling out of his fingers like smoke.

"You're the one lying to yourself." Andrew spoke, eyes narrowed. "Dreams can only inspire. They can't create, or destroy, or do  anything like what you're speaking of. They can be goals, and things we work towards- Things we wish to  accomplish . But they aren't something real. They aren't tangible. Do you really think it was your dreams that made you study so hard? That made you spend hour after hour studying for those space camps that everyone told you to give up on? You may have been thinking of your dream, but it wasn't that dream that pushed you forward, Danny. It was you. Strong, never wanting to give up, you."

Danny narrowed his eyes, watching him coldly, his concentration on the sleepwalkers slipping. "You know nothing about me. My  dreams made me do that, due to their brightness. Master said as much."

"Frankly, I don't give a flying fuck what that creepy shadow bastard told you," Andrew snorted, walking forward until he was only a few feet away from Danny. "We both know your dreams could be shattered in front of you, with nothing left, and you would still get up and keep moving forward. Your dreams wasn't what attracted Nocturne, Danny. It was you. Bright, never failing, you. It wasn't  your dreams, it was that you make others  want to dream. You make us want to be better, and to try our best." Pausing, Andrew gave a slight smile, look of hopelessness on his face. "Maybe I'm just being a skeptic when I say that dreams can't come true... Maybe it's because I know just how fragile happily ever afters are...and how quickly dreams fade...

"Still. You're my dream, and I don't think I'd want to give that up. So, please snap out of this..."

Danny floated down closer to Andrew, leaving a foot of space between them. "You could have a better dream. Master can make a better dream, if you just go back to sleep. Do you not want a better dream?"

"Nothing could be better than you. Whether awake, or sleeping, you're always on my mind, Danny. Ever since this stupid little brat dragged me onto the playground and took my book away from me because I was 'being sad'. I'm never going to want anything better than you - even if something happens to where I matter nothing to you...you'll always mean the world to me. I..." Falling silent for a few seconds, Andrew gave a long sigh, finally looking up to Danny with a broken expression. "I'm in love with you. I have been for years, and as far as I can see, it's going to be for years more... I'm in love with you so much, even if you were to think nothing of me, and I can't stand to see you being controlled like this...

"Please, Danny...please come back..."

The inky black haze that had taken over Danny's vision began to fade as he stared at Andrew. Had he heard that correctly? "You... you what?" 

"Really? You choose now of all times to hear me incorrectly, you little brat." Mock huffing, Andrew closed the distance between them and pulled the younger into a hug, clinging onto him fiercely. "I'm in love with you. Completely, absolutely,  ridiculously in love with you. Even if you  did ruin one of my rough drafts the start of this year."

Danny's arms hung at his side as he let himself be hugged. "You... you love me?" It was... impossible. There was no way his friend actually  returned his feelings. He was never that lucky.

"Half right, there," Andrew mused, gently running a hand through Danny's hair. "I love Sam and Tucker and my family. I'm  in love with you. You're everything to me, Danny. All my words and sweet dreams, everything that makes me want to do my best -  be my best. All for you. I told you that all dreams do is inspire...well, you're my dream, and you inspire me in  everything . You didn't think Andrea and Peter sounded at all familiar when I let you read that rough draft? I thought I was being pretty obvious, basing them off of us."

Danny shakily brought his arms up, wrapping them around Andrew as he gave a small chuckle. "You dork... I've been in love with you, too, then, for a couple years." He looked up at Andrew, and the only stars on him anymore were the ones shining in his eyes. "And I've  always loved you."

Carefully cupping the younger's cheek, Andrew placed a gentle kiss to the teen's forehead, lingering for a few seconds and being so  relieved the teen was himself again. "Danny..." Pausing a few seconds, his smile turned into a smirk. "You're not wearing a shirt."

"And you're not wearing your coat." He clung to Andrew, unwilling to untangle himself.

"I was in a bit of a rush when Sam woke me up and we couldn't find you. Besides, I, at least, still have my shirt on." Andrew was just as unwilling to release the teen, instead only pulling him closer.

"Are you two done cuddling?!" Sam put her hand on her hip, raising an eyebrow at her friends. Clueless, they were. But sometimes... Sometimes they pulled through. "By the way, while you two saps were over here, we took care of big mean dream machine."

"I had absolute faith you would," Andrew nodded, already tugging Danny away from the empty warehouse, and towards his house. "Now if you excuse me, I'm kidnapping him."

Watching the boys walk off, Jazz called out to them. "Have fun! Love you! Be safe! Don't forget to use protection!"

"...Danny. I'm going to kill your sister." He could probably take her... Probably.

"Not yet, mon ange. Wait until morning." He yawned, rubbing his eyes. "Being controlled by a ghost is exhausting." At Andrew's look of shock, he looked up at him. "What? Is my hair messed up, or something?"

"First off, your hair is  always a wreck. Second...what...did you just call me?" Because there was no way he had heard that correctly...right?

Danny smiled, looking up at him innocently. "Mon ange. I may or may not have asked Sam to teach me a little French."

"...I'm pretty sure you're going to be the end of me, mon cher. And somehow, I am perfectly alright with that." He just couldn't believe that it had all  worked . Maybe he wouldn't be so quick to put down happy endings, anymore... Or at least happy starts. They still had a long way ahead of them, after all. But then... maybe there would be a day he'd be able to say 'I believe in a happily ever after.'

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

Day Four : Dream : Third Person

 

::

 

"Clueless. Utterly and completely clueless."

 

"What are you talking about  now, Manson?"

 

"I mean that you look at  him the same way  he looks at the stars. We all see it, Riter. Even he does. Why do you think he looks at you the same way?"

 

"Same way, huh... I'm finding that hard to believe, right now." This mess we were in hadn't even  started out like a normal ghost attack. We had all been surprised and overwhelmed and forced to sleep- Sam managed to wake us all up but then  Danny . Oh god, Danny…

 

Nocturne had said his 'potential was a waste' and 'it would be better to put those bright dreams to use.' Now, as if dealing with a homicidal ghost with plans to put the world to sleep wasn't enough, we had to deal with a corrupted Danny who wanted to send us all back to sleep. Who was under that  madman’s fucking  control .

 

Glancing around the stack of crates I was hiding behind, I saw Danny stare at us, face emotionless and wasn’t that just so  wrong . Danny was  never  emotionless. He wore his heart on his sleeve and never hid what he was feeling, and now… There was nothing. Just a blank and calm expression as he spoke. "Master will not be pleased if you do not sleep. Why will you not sleep?"

 

"Gee, it's such a mystery as to why we don't want to sleep when there's a maniac trying to destroy the  world . Truly, something that will never be answered!” Lowering my voice, I looked over to Tucker, who was hiding a few feet away. "Go help Sam and Jazz with Nocturne. I'll find a way to snap Danny out of this." Hopefully, at least.

 

Danny waved his hand, sending a few sleepwalkers after Tucker. He would be okay, though. Right now I had to focus on snapping Danny out of this mess. "Master wishes not harm. He only wishes sweet dreams. Don't you want that? He could devise a dream better than the last."

 

Considering my last dream had been Danny telling me he returned my feelings, I had a feeling there couldn’t be anything better than that. At least, not for me. Moving to stand out in the open, I steadied myself. I couldn’t worry now, I just had to  find a way to get my Danny back . "I'd rather stay awake, thanks. Dreams are just that, Danny.  Dreams . It's nice to reflect on them, and use them to aspire to something, but it's useless to live in them all our lives. It's pointless, and like putting rose colored glasses over a world we know is burning."

 

Danny narrowed his eyes- And that was  good . Anger was much better than that blank expression he had used- If I could just make him angrier, then… Danny held his hand out, the swirling black creating a small building. "You lie. Dreams can create civilizations..." The building slowly grew, multiplying and growing. "Or destroy them." He crushed his hand, the flowing black curling out of his fingers like smoke.

 

"You're the one lying to yourself." Sorry, Danny...but I can’t stand to see you like this. "Dreams can only inspire. They can't create, or destroy, or do  anything like what you're speaking of. They can be goals, and things we work towards- Things we wish to  accomplish . But they aren't something real. They aren't tangible. Do you really think it was your dreams that made you study so hard? That made you spend hour after hour studying for those space camps that everyone told you to give up on? You may have been thinking of your dream, but it wasn't that dream that pushed you forward, Danny. It was you. Strong, never wanting to give up, you."

 

Maybe I was saying a bit more than I should be… As I saw Danny get angrier, however, I saw the sleepwalkers flicker out of existence. It was working, then. But just what could I say next… "You know nothing about me.” Bullshit. I know  everything  about you. “My  dreams made me do that, due to their brightness. Master said as much."

 

"Frankly, I don't give a flying fuck what that creepy shadow bastard told you.” Walking forward a few feet, I took a steadying breath as I stood in front of him. If I wasn’t careful- But no. This wasn’t some random ghost- This was  Danny . Bright, brilliant Danny who shone as bright as a star himself. "We both know your dreams could be shattered in front of you, with nothing left, and you would still get up and keep moving forward. Your dreams wasn't what attracted Nocturne, Danny. It was you.” Because that was right, wasn’t it? Nothing could stand in this stubborn brat’s way.

 

“Bright, never failing, you. It wasn't  your dreams, it was that you make others  want to dream. You make us want to be better, and to try our best." Pausing, I could  feel  my hopelessness. I really was doomed… From the beginning. "Maybe I'm just being a skeptic when I say that dreams can't come true... Maybe it's because I know just how fragile happily ever afters are...and how quickly dreams fade…” I was a writer, after all. I knew just how easy it was to destroy something, just how it easy it was to break someone...

 

"Still. You're my dream, and I don't think I'd want to give that up. So, please snap out of this..."

 

Danny floated down and touched down on the ground, leaving a foot of space between us. "You could have a better dream. Master can make a better dream, if you just go back to sleep. Do you not want a better dream?"

 

"Nothing could be better than you. Whether awake, or sleeping, you're always on my mind, Danny. Ever since this stupid little brat dragged me onto the playground and took my book away from me because I was 'being sad'. I'm never going to want anything better than you - even if something happens to where I matter nothing to you...you'll always mean the world to me. I..." Giving a sigh, I looked down at him with an expression I could tell was broken. Doomed, indeed… "I'm in love with you. I have been for years, and as far as I can see, it's going to be for years more... I'm in love with you so much, even if you were to think nothing of me, and I can't stand to see you being controlled like this...

 

"Please, Danny...please come back..." I  needed  him. I couldn’t let him stay like this. I  needed  him back - even if he didn’t want me.

 

"You... you what?" The blackness seemed to be fading from him, and his expression looked so startlingly him that I couldn’t stop my smile.

 

"Really? You choose now of all times to hear me incorrectly, you little brat." Mock huffing, I closed the distance between us and pulled him close, hugging him tightly. "I'm in love with you. Completely, absolutely,  ridiculously in love with you. Even if you  did ruin one of my rough drafts the start of this year."

 

He had yet to make movement, but he wasn’t pushing me away, at least. "You... you love me?" 

 

"Half right, there.” I gently ran a hand through his hair, the motion too familiar for me to stop. "I love Sam and Tucker and my family. I'm  in love with you. You're everything to me, Danny. All my words and sweet dreams, everything that makes me want to do my best -  be my best. All for you. I told you that all dreams do is inspire...well, you're my dream, and you inspire me in  everything . You didn't think Andrea and Peter sounded at all familiar when I let you read that rough draft? I thought I was being pretty obvious, basing them off of us."

 

Hearing a familiar chuckle, I grinned as I felt arms hugging me back. "You dork... I've been in love with you, too, then, for a couple years." He looked up at me, and the only stars I could now see on him were the ones that were in his eyes. "And I've  always loved you."

 

Carefully letting myself cup his cheek, I leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss to his forehead, lingering for a few seconds. Words couldn’t begin to describe how  relieved  I was that he was himself again. "Danny..." Pausing again at realizing something, I let my smile turn into a smirk. "You're not wearing a shirt."

 

"And you're not wearing your coat." 

 

"I was in a bit of a rush when Sam woke me up and we couldn't find you. Besides, I, at least, still have my shirt on." Not too fond of letting him go, I pulled him closer, pressing another faint kiss to the top of his head. Now that I knew that he liked me back just as much...that he felt the same way...

 

"Are you two done cuddling?!" Hearing Sam’s voice, I rolled my eyes and looked over. "By the way, while you two saps were over here, we took care of big mean dream machine."

 

"I had absolute faith you would," I smiled, turning away from the warehouse and towards my house. "Now if you excuse me, I'm kidnapping him." With that, I scooped him into my arms, happily walking away with him. The brat was far too light, anyways.

 

Hearing Jazz’s voice, I flinched. "Have fun! Love you! Be safe! Don't forget to use protection!"

 

"...Danny. I'm going to kill your sister." I could probably take her... Probably.

 

"Not yet, mon ange. Wait until morning." He yawned, rubbing his eyes. "Being controlled by a ghost is exhausting." He must have noticed my shock, judging by his expression. "What? Is my hair messed up, or something?"

 

"First off, your hair is  always a wreck. Second...what...did you just call me?" Because there was no way I had heard that correctly...right?

 

Danny smiled, looking up at me innocently. "Mon ange. I may or may not have asked Sam to teach me a little French."

 

"...I'm pretty sure you're going to be the end of me, mon cher. And somehow, I am perfectly alright with that." I just couldn't believe that it had all  worked . Maybe I wouldn't be so quick to put down happy endings, anymore... Or at least happy starts. We still had a long way ahead of us, after all. But then... maybe there will be a day I’d be able to say 'I believe in a happily ever after.'

:::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

Day Four : Dream : Danny : First Person

 

::

 

I stared at the humans blankly. The half ghost and the human girl were busy trying to destroy my Master’s dream machine. With a thought, I sent the sleepwalkers to them, putting almost all of my attention on the human boys hiding from me. I floated above them, spotting them easily. I tilted my head. Why were they so intent on staying awake? Didn't they see that staying asleep was so much easier? "Master will not be pleased if you do not sleep. Why will you not sleep?"

 

"Gee, it's such a mystery as to why we don't want to sleep when there's a maniac trying to destroy the  world . Truly, something that will never be answered!" He seemed to turn to the human with the stupid beret, whispering.

 

Watching as one of the two ran off, I lazily waved my hand, sending sleepwalkers after him. These humans were barely even a threat. Merely an annoyance. "Master wishes not harm. He only wishes sweet dreams. Don't you want that? He could devise a dream better than the last."

 

The human stood in the open with his arms crossed, like a challenge. "I'd rather stay awake, thanks. Dreams are just that, Danny.  Dreams . It's nice to reflect on them, and use them to aspire to something, but it's useless to live in them all our lives. It's pointless, and like putting rose colored glasses over a world we know is burning."

 

I narrowed my eyes. How dare this inferior being deny what my master had told me to be true. How dare he defy him. My master was the one who was letting me achieve my dreams. Now, I truly could touch the stars. I held my hand out, the starry black ink creating a small building. "You lie. Dreams can create civilizations..." The building slowly grew, multiplying and growing. "Or destroy them." I crushed my hand, the flowing black curling out of my fingers like smoke.

 

"You're the one lying to yourself." He spoke, eyes narrowed. "Dreams can only inspire. They can't create, or destroy, or do  anything like what you're speaking of. They can be goals, and things we work towards- Things we wish to  accomplish . But they aren't something real. They aren't tangible. Do you really think it was your dreams that made you study so hard? That made you spend hour after hour studying for those space camps that everyone told you to give up on? You may have been thinking of your dream, but it wasn't that dream that pushed you forward, Danny. It was you. Strong, never wanting to give up, you."

 

I narrowed my eyes, watching him coldly, my concentration on the sleepwalkers admittedly slipping. "You know nothing about me. My  dreams made me do that, due to their brightness. Master said as much."

 

"Frankly, I don't give a flying fuck what that creepy shadow bastard told you," The human snorted, walking forward until he was only a few feet away from where I floated above him. "We both know your dreams could be shattered in front of you, with nothing left, and you would still get up and keep moving forward. Your dreams wasn't what attracted Nocturne, Danny. It was you. Bright, never failing, you. It wasn't  your dreams, it was that you make others  want to dream. You make us want to be better, and to try our best." Pausing, he gave a slight smile, look of hopelessness on his face. "Maybe I'm just being a skeptic when I say that dreams can't come true... Maybe it's because I know just how fragile happily ever afters are...and how quickly dreams fade...

 

"Still. You're my dream, and I don't think I'd want to give that up. So, please snap out of this..."

 

I touched down closer to him, leaving a foot of space between us. I felt almost… disappointed. "You could have a better dream. Master can make a better dream, if you just go back to sleep. Do you not want a better dream?"

 

"Nothing could be better than you. Whether awake, or sleeping, you're always on my mind, Danny. Ever since this stupid little brat dragged me onto the playground and took my book away from me because I was 'being sad'. I'm never going to want anything better than you - even if something happens to where I matter nothing to you...you'll always mean the world to me. I..." Falling silent for a few seconds, he gave a long sigh, finally looking down at me with a broken expression. "I'm in love with you. I have been for years, and as far as I can see, it's going to be for years more... I'm in love with you so much, even if you were to think nothing of me, and I can't stand to see you being controlled like this...

 

"Please, Danny...please come back..."

 

The inky black haze that had taken over my vision began to fade as I stared at Andrew. Had I heard that correctly? "You... you what?" 

 

"Really? You choose now of all times to hear me incorrectly, you little brat." Mock huffing, Andrew closed the distance between us and pulled me into a hug, clinging onto me fiercely. "I'm in love with you. Completely, absolutely,  ridiculously in love with you. Even if you  did ruin one of my rough drafts the start of this year."

 

My arms hung at my side as I let myself be hugged. "You... you love me?" It was... impossible. There was no way my friend actually  returned my feelings. I was never that lucky.

 

"Half right, there," Andrew mused, gently running a hand through my hair, earning a smile. Stupid dork knew I liked that. "I love Sam and Tucker and my family. I'm  in love with you. You're everything to me, Danny. All my words and sweet dreams, everything that makes me want to do my best -  be my best. All for you. I told you that all dreams do is inspire...well, you're my dream, and you inspire me in  everything . You didn't think Andrea and Peter sounded at all familiar when I let you read that rough draft? I thought I was being pretty obvious, basing them off of us."

 

I shakily brought my arms up, wrapping them around Andrew as I gave a small chuckle. He was right. It  was obvious. Why hadn’t I seen it before? "You dork... I've been in love with you, too, then, for a couple years." I looked up at Andrew, and from what I could see, there wasn’t anymore blackness or stars on me. "And I've  always loved you."

 

Carefully cupping my cheek, Andrew placed a gentle kiss to my forehead, lingering for a few seconds, and I could feel the tension bleeding away. "Danny..." Pausing a few seconds, his smile turned into a smirk. "You're not wearing a shirt."

 

"And you're not wearing your coat." I clung to Andrew, unwilling to untangle myself.

 

"I was in a bit of a rush when Sam woke me up and we couldn't find you. Besides, I, at least, still have my shirt on." Andrew was just as unwilling to release me, I gathered, as he instead only pulled me closer.

 

"Are you two done cuddling?!" Sam put her hand on her hip, raising an eyebrow at us as we turned to look at her. "By the way, while you two saps were over here, we took care of big mean dream machine."

 

"I had absolute faith you would," Andrew nodded, already tugging me away from the empty warehouse, and towards his house. "Now if you excuse me, I'm kidnapping him." He scooped me up in his arms, carrying me out of the place bridal style, receiving a blush for his efforts.

 

From behind us, Jazz called. "Have fun! Love you! Be safe! Don't forget to use protection!"

 

"...Danny. I'm going to kill your sister." He could probably take her... Probably.

 

"Not yet, mon ange. Wait until morning." I yawned, rubbing my eyes. "Being controlled by a ghost is exhausting." Even if it was a dream ghost. Shouldn’t I be more awake, or something? At Andrew's look of shock, I looked up at him. "What? Is my hair messed up, or something?"

 

"First off, your hair is  always a wreck. Second...what...did you just call me?" 

 

I smiled, looking up at him as innocently as I could. "Mon ange. I may or may not have asked Sam to teach me a little French."

 

"...I'm pretty sure you're going to be the end of me, mon cher. And somehow, I am perfectly alright with that." I was, too. Who else would have been able to snap me out of that? Everyone always thought Andrew was the bigger sap. But they were wrong. I was the one that believed in a happily ever after.

 

 


	5. Day Five : Dream : Third Person

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 7.2k words and I mean...it sort of fits the prompt? I think?

Day Five : Dream : Third Person

::

"I ask you, what kind of idiot uses Ghost Zone shit in an alchemy potion. Actually- No. What idiot even  does alchemy?! This is why we worried, Andy! THIS IS WHY!" Seeing his yelling was getting nowhere with his unconscious brother, Randy sighed and dragged his hands down his face. "Stupid little brother. Who puts himself into a  coma attempting  alchemy ?"

Danny pointed at the slumbering Andrew. "Him. He puts himself in a coma."

Randy slowly turned his glare to Danny. "Thank you for the comment, oh brilliant one. Any other deductions you would like to add?"

"...Two. One, I think he's asleep. Two, you're a dick."

"And yet, you love me anyways," Randy smiled cheerfully. "And it is a coma. I tried stabbing him with his knife. Multiple times. He'll heal quickly though. Probably."

Danny sighed, shaking his head. "God dammit, Randy... Any idea how to wake him up?"

"Well, besides stabbing him, we could always overshadow him and go into his dreams," Randy snorted, rolling his eyes. "Other than that, though, I really don't...don't...what the hell are you doing?"

"Something I did a few episodes ago. Hush."

"...You know we're not supposed to break the fourth wall, you shit. Now, what the  hell are you doing?!"

He shrugged. "You said to overshadow him and go in his dreams. What do you think I'm doing?"

"It. Was. A.  Joke . Jesus fucking Christ you little gremlin do you not understand jokes?! That is literally the worst idea ever! As older brother, I  demand you stop doing stupid shit right this instant!"

Danny turned intangible, giving Randy a grin. "Too late!" Before he could be stopped, he fell into Andrew's mind, looking around curiously.

Everything was gray and just... bland. It was like there wasn't anything. Had he screwed something up? In a flash, he was standing inside a room that was a washed out pink he hadn't expected. It was sprawled out and messy, more something fit for his mind than Andrew's, really. The carpet was entirely coated by crumpled papers of scratched out words that might have once been poems.

Journals were tossed around liberally and coated with pencil marks and scratches and torn out pages, stacked everywhere and anywhere. What looked like pictures and postcards also filled the room, some of them looking blurry and hard to distinguish. The windows, he noticed, were showing a dark gray sky with a swirling snow storm.

In the center of the room was Andrew, curled in on himself and nervously fidgeting.

Furrowing his brow, Danny stepped closer towards him. "Andrew? Hey, are you alright? What's going on?"

"I- Sorry, for- I- I didn't  mean for it to happen- I mean, causing this trouble and mess and having you get stuck with cleaning it up- And- Sorry..." Trailing off, Andrew's gaze darted to the floor, shoulders hunched over again as he nervously picked up loose papers and journals.

Danny gaze him a small, nervous grin. "It- It's fine. You put up with me enough... Are you okay?" In a flash, Andrew had dropped the papers and notebooks and turned to Danny with watery eyes, entire expression showing defeat.

"But it's  not fine! I completely screwed everything up because I was being an  idiot ! Randy's right to always call me that because all I seem to do is screw things up! Now not only did I put  myself  into this mess, I dragged you down with me!"

He took a step back. This wasn't the Andrew he knew. Did that alchemy do something to him? Was this a dream? "No, no, it's fine, I..." He smiled. "I'm gonna fix it!" Even as he spoke, he noticed the room seemed to be...changing. The bright color was changing for something brighter, paired with another color that seemed to clash  horribly .

"What if I  can't be fixed! What if I never wake up and it all goes horribly wrong and what if  you're stuck in here with me?! I already drag you down enough and now I've stuck you in  this mess!" The crumpled up papers had faded into papers that were torn and scratched through. Broken pens and quills had taken the place of the notebooks, and the snow storm outside had been replaced with a raging thunderstorm, glass rattling with the force of it.

He frowned, holding his hands out in defense. "Andrew, just... just calm down." If he controlled this place, and he didn't calm down, he'd be taking this place out, along with them. Something told Danny that wouldn't end well.

In contrast to his words, Andrew only clenched his fists and huffed, eyes narrowing into a glare. "What's the point of being calm when I'm  always messing up?! This isn't the first time I've put myself and others in danger due to my stupid mistakes! How can you fix this when  I'm the one that's broken?!"

"But you're- But you're not! Really! You're not!" But the way he was acting now... it was hard for Danny to be so sure of himself. Now would really be a good time to have some of that confidence Andrew always had. Stupid French people. "Why are you acting so... different?"

As he spoke, the colors of the room changed to bold and bright colors, aged and worn posters and flyers coating the walls which were filled with motivational quotes. In the middle of it, Andrew seemed dazed for a few seconds before he shook his head, "Ah, désolé, mon cher. I seem to have gotten myself in quite the predicament this time around, and of course you, as my dashing hero, had to come and help."

Seeing an Andrew that wasn't freaking out, he gave a sigh of relief. "Andrew, what's going  on? Why are you being so weird?"

"Weird is a matter of opinion, mon douce fantôme," Andrew hummed, flying over to press a sweet kiss to the other's forehead. "It seems we've found ourselves in the rather troublesome situation of us two being stuck in my mind. You seem to be running into different facets of my personality - some more troublesome than others, I'll assume." Pausing again, he lightly nuzzled Danny's cheek, pressing another sweet kiss there.

Danny smiled at the affection, wrapping his arms around Andrew's neck. "I guess you could say that... You know, I'm kinda surprised there isn't a bed in here, with how much time we spend there."

In a flash Andrew was blushing brightly, the colors of the room changing into cool, but somehow warm, blue colors. "You know, I used to remember you being a lot more shy."

He gave a grin. "And I seem to remember you having a stick up your ass, but I took care of that." The flustered blush grew even worse, Andrew giving a quiet whine and hiding his face in Danny's shoulder.

"You've become so shameless." Photo albums were scattered around everywhere, and windows showed a foggy spring morning with the sun just starting to rise. In the center of the room was a book centered on the table, a familiar copy of 'The Fright Before Christmas 2'.

"You need more shame. We balance well." He hummed, untangling himself from Andrew and flying over to the table, picking up the book. "Really? This thing?"

"As you were told, each version of me you met, and each room, is a different personality. We all share memories of what happens in here, and of you," Andrew  explained, voice quiet, but small smile on his face. "I happen to be Surprise, so of course that book would be here. You were definitely the most surprising thing to happen."

"But I'm also the best!" He gave a wicked smirk. "Does that mean I can find stuff in here to blackmail real you later, and find your old writing Randy told me about?"

"I'm afraid you rather missed that chance, since it would have been with Embarrassment, who you met first," Andrew chuckled, flying over and hesitantly hovering near Danny, fidgeting with his sleeves.

Danny looked down at the sleeves, frowning. "Where's your coat? I thought you obsessed over that thing?"

"Mm, I suppose I found something better to obsess over, now didn't I?" Andrew asked, wrapping himself around Danny and sweetly nuzzling into his neck. As the blue colors faded into a cool purple, the room changed to show something  that looked like a room out of Vidya, as well as filled with books and, strangely enough, things that reminded Danny of himself.

He looked back to Andrew with a smile, raising an eyebrow. "What are you, Obsession?"

"Oui, mon cher," Andrew lightly hummed, pressing a kiss to the other's jaw and pulling him in close. "I believe I once told you this, but I have two obsessions. Writing, and you. Always, forever, you." The declaration was accompanied by a featherlight kiss to his lips.

He gave a laugh. "Then are you going to be waking up, anytime soon?" A glance towards the windows showed the scenery of the Ghost Zone.

"Mm, I could...but I think I would much rather spend my time with you." Scooping up Danny, he flew them to the couch that was pressed against the wall, setting the other down first and then laying down on top of him, and hugging him close. "In here, we don't have to worry about being interrupted, or pulled away from each other." The words were soft and gentle, and being paired with sweet kisses and touches. "I can have you all to myself."

He gave a nervous chuckle. "Andrew, come on... You gotta wake up. You can't just stay here forever."

"Mm, I could if I had you with me, mon cher."

His small smile faded to a worried frown. "Andrew, you're kinda starting to worry me." This... This Andrew was... he wasn't his Andrew. His Andrew would use his logic and reasoning to sort all of this out. If Andrew didn't want this to be fixed... What hope did he have in fixing it?

In a flash, Andrew was gone, and the room had completely changed once again. Gone was the cool purple and replaced with a melancholy feel that had him nervous and worried. There was a constant sound of rain outside, and a glance to the windows showed a dreary fall day. Countless journals littered the floors and tables, filled with reminders of what had gone wrong, what would go wrong, and what might go wrong.

Danny slowly got off the couch, hovering above the ground. "Andrew? ...Andrew, where are you?" He heard a faint sound from the corner of the room, just behind the bookshelf. He slowly walked to the bookshelf, looking behind it. "Andrew?"

"'M sorry." The man was curled up in the corner, arms around his knees and gaze on the ground.

He shook his head, sitting next to him. "What for? You don't have to be sorry."

"Yes I do...I'm always making things worse for you - more stressful. You put up with enough, you shouldn't have to deal with my messes- You should have to deal with things like - like  that . I just... I'm sorry for everything."

"Andrew, I just said you don't have to be sorry. It's fine. Really." So he wasn't the best at reassuring. Sue him.

"It's not  fine , Danny! I'm always causing you trouble- If you hadn't met me you'd probably be a lot better off! It was my fault you had to go back into the past and  kill someone! You'd be better off if we had never met!"

Danny scoffed, standing up. "You really think that?! God, you are such an idiot! I'm in love with you, and nothing's going to change that. But this isn't you! Dammit, Ghostwriter, why can't you just get your shit together?!"

"That's real rich, coming from the one whose life is more of a mess than an  assassin's ." Andrew snapped, standing up as well. "You're already in college and you  still haven't told your parents you're half ghost!" The colors of the room were once again changing, this time to a bright red. The floor was scattered with blunt, broken, and sharpened throwing knives, with various pictures posted to the walls - all with knife marks, and in some cases, knives.

Danny glared, hissing out. "At least I'm still alive, and not moping in the Ghost Zone like somebody! It took me crashing in here to get you to even come out of your stupid library!" 

"Still alive, huh? Well I wonder whose fault it is that I'm  dead ." Andrew's fists were clenched at his side, and a glare on his face.

"You know I had no choice in that," Danny nearly screamed. "You saw how much that hurt!" This was all too similar to their first fight. Now, one of them was probably going to storm off. As if true to his thoughts, Andrew scoffed and turned on his heel, stalking off to the other side of the room and muttering vicious curses and swears under his breath.

Huffing, Danny turned on his heel, away from him, crossing his arms. Who needed him, anyways? He didn't need to spend time around  that jerk. Eyes narrowed, he looked around the room, seeing a small picture of himself in the corner. It was faded, as though it hadn't seen the light of day in forever, though the knife marks that littered it were too many to count. His gaze was drawn to a more prominent part of the room that was already fading. Though he caught it in time to see that it was a rather large picture of Andrew, himself, with knife marks everywhere. Not an ounce of mercy must have been shown to the picture.

Soon the picture was gone, and the bright angry red was replaced with a deep, dark black. The room was filled with lethal throwing knives and bottles of poison, as well as outfits strewn about that had once been meant as a disguise. Various fake crows were everywhere, some looking torn apart, and some looking to be in midflight. All eyes were trained on the two of them, however.

"No choice, and yet you didn't even  think to try another way, did you? It was all something you 'had to do'. You could have just left. Found a time portal back. No one forced you to kill me- That was all you."

Hearing the ice in his tone, Danny's fist clenched. "You... someone would have, either way. I thought you understood why I did it." He wasn't used to this cold fury. Was this even Andrew? He couldn't be sure anymore.

"Your words defend yourself, don't you think? Or rather, they don't... You said yourself someone else would have... So why didn't you let history take it's course, instead of stepping in? It's not like you're a real timekeeper, after all... You're not even a real ghost. Just a lab experiment."

Danny shook his head, trying to get the words out of his ears. "No... no you're wrong! I'm more than just a freaky experiment! I'm a hero! I've saved people's lives!" It was the same thing he told himself everyday, after all. It had to be true.

"And how many lives have been lost due to your  heroics . How many people have gotten in the way of those fights, have gotten  hurt because you refuse to let the trained hunters deal with it. How many lives have you destroyed... Your friends, your sister, anyone who gets close to you, really... A hero? More like a villain, if you ask me. After all... Death mongers are good at telling each other apart."

"At least I know that when it happens, it's wrong!"

"At least I'm not the one who  wants death. You're not even strong enough to go after that, are you? Always backing away at the last second. What's the good of even being alive when it comes to you,  mon cher ."

Danny let out a shuddering breath, shaking his head frantically. "No. No, no, no, you're wrong, you... no, no, no..." He backed up against the wall, feeling tears slip freely down his face as he slid down against it, curling up. He was right, though. Everything would be so much  easier if he was dead. No more hiding his secret if there was no secret to hide. And he wouldn't have to keep aging while Andrew stayed forever the same. He looked back up at Andrew, the one who knew him better than he knew himself, and was surprised by the sight.

The man looked  horrified , even with the room still a deep black and not having changed a bit, he looked utterly, completely,  terrified . In a flash the room had changed to something different, and Andrew disappeared from in front of him.

The deep black had faded into swirling colors that resembled moving objects and shadows, and held a lingering sense of being watched. A maze of bookshelves filled the room, filled and stacked with countless worries and fears. Every so often flickering flames were seen, as well as a glint of flashing steel. Windows themselves showed nothing but a pitch black night, no stars or moons in sight.

Danny rubbed at his eyes, scrubbing away the tears as he looked around. Andrew was nowhere in sight, and he had a sinking feeling it would take a while to find him. He took a moment to compose himself, holding his tail to his chest as he floated upwards, and around and through the shelves. "Andrew," he weakly called out. "Where are you?" Even if his mate was a prick... he still needed him.

He heard a quiet noise from a few shelves down, and flew over to see Andrew panickedly backed against a wall, terrified expression still on his face, and looking more scared than Danny had ever seen him.

Danny hesitantly floated towards him, putting a hand out on instinct. "Andrew?"

The other flinched back and away from the hand, tucking himself closer to the wall, and slowly sliding down. "I know you have every right to...but please don't be afraid of me..." As he spoke,  he seemed to be the one afraid of Danny, pressing himself even further away. "You  should but I can't handle the thought of  you fearing me and I never should- I never should have said those things! I never should have let-" Tears were falling down now, the room seeming to get even more oppressive.

"I know I don't deserve it...but please don't fear me..."

Danny shook his head, floating closer to Andrew and slowly bringing his hand to the other's face, watching as he flinched away. He pressed on, cupping Andrew's cheek and using his thumb to wipe away the tears. He had never... he had never seen Andrew cry. Despite the other's reaction, Danny pulled him into a hug, cuddling him close. "I could never be afraid of you."

"You should be." Andrew's voice was quiet, and utterly defeated. "You've seen my past, Danny... You should be utterly terrified of me, and all I've done. I've killed  thousands , and I don't regret it...any of it... You should have ran the day I told you..."

Danny shook his head, pressing his face into Andrew's neck. "I can't. I wouldn't. I trust you, Andy. Always." It was a few long and silent seconds before Andrew was hugging him back just as tightly, clinging to him fiercely and tucking him under his chin.

"What did I ever do to deserve you..." The dark and quiet room was now bright and filled with summer sunlight. The room was filled with parchment that was aged and worn, faint red lines drawn through each line of words. Broken and shattered knives rested in every corner of the room, hidden under tables and rugs and just out of sight. Journals as well sat everywhere, each page etched with words over and over and over.

Danny gave him a smile as they parted, though they kept their hands intertwined. "You cared." He looked around the room curiously, looking down at the parchment. "Is this..."

"My orders," Andrew said simply, smiling at Danny as he gave him a feather light kiss to his cheek. "I was given a lot."

"I can tell." It was slightly unnerving, how much of it there was, and how much of it Andrew  remembered . But then, he should have known that when he started dating a former assassin. "I don't suppose you're wanting to help me find  my Andrew?"

"Silly Phantom, we're  all yours. We're the same person, just...emotions in our purest forms, I suppose." Andrew was pressing a kiss to the top of Danny's head now, hand running through his hair. "I'm not sure how to explain what happened... Everything's...blurry. But if you want me to help you, I'll do what I can."

He smiled, hugging him. At least this one was more helpful than the last few had been. It almost felt like things were back to normal. If he closed his eyes, he could just pretend this was his  normal Andrew. Happy, and exasperated, and a little annoyed, and always there for him.

Standing up, Andrew dragged Danny with him, letting him go as he went to stand in the middle of the room, slightly muttering under his breath. "Maybe if we can get you to the next emotion, they might know what's going on better. Or at least be able to explain it. Getting there, however, is up to you."

"What do you mean up to me? This is  your mind." He craned his neck, trying to see what one of the journals said. He couldn't quite make it out from here.

"Haven't you noticed all the changes in us are triggered by what you say and feel?"

"I mean... I guess, but I thought that was because of you."

"Cores are linked, my dear mate," Andrew grinned, absently floating a few notebooks over to the other side of the room, near where Danny was. "Considering you're in my mind, we're linked more than we usually would be. It's why things have been so...erratic, I suppose."

He nodded. "Yeah, okay. That makes sense." He was finally able to see what the notebook said. "It's the right thing," he muttered.

"That's what I was told, at least." Arms behind his back now, and floating in the air, Andrew gave the other an absolutely trusting smile. "That's all we were ever told. That what we were doing was right. We were doing it for the good of our Order, and for the good of everyone. We were God's chosen messengers, sent to deliver the truth to the ones who wouldn't listen. Prophets meant to pass on the message...

"That's what we were told... Really, I think we were more messengers of hell, considering all we did... The worst part, I think, are the ones who believed it. The ones who believed every life stolen was for the good of the Lord, and the new heaven we were creating for Him. That's why I was called the Priest of Death... Because I was 'welcoming them home'." Trailing off for a few seconds, the man shook his head, small smile on his face.

"Really, I just think I was damning myself- But then...I have you, so I must have done something right, at one point."

Danny gave a nod, flying over and hugging him close. "I... I'm glad you told me. Really." The corners of his lips quirked up. "I like learning new things about you. It's nice."

"As you've probably figured by now, I'm the one meant to be Trust- Really, though, I only trust you, I think... Your Andrew, at least, would have told you all this, in due time. This little adventure just sped things up." Returning the hug, Andrew gave him a kiss to his forehead. "I don't know what I'd do without you..."

Danny laughed. "Probably get a lot more writing done." This was what he was used to. Nice, friendly, joke around Andrew. It felt nice. It felt normal.

"Hm, guess the emotion you're going to next is a little more dominant," Andrew hummed, looking down to see Danny fading from the room, Trust forever stuck to the one he was in. "Don't think about it too much, after all, we're all yours, right?"

"I think... yeah, maybe." He watched as the small reading corner of Vidya that had become his slowly appeared, and he smiled. There was his backpack on the floor at the end of the couch, there were his and Andrew's favorite books all over the tables and on the shelves. He could see the steam rising from the two cups of coffee on the table. Taking a sniff, he could smell the cookies that were baking, and he gave a smile. Looking out the windows, it was a warm summer afternoon. He turned his head, seeing Andrew reading on the couch.

"Salut, mon cher," Andrew smiled up at him, marking his place in the book and setting it down. "I take it by now, you've had quite the day, hm?"

"Wouldn't you know it?" He immediately flopped onto his couch, shooting Andrew a sunny grin. This was the Andrew he was used to. Relaxed, and quiet, and happy.

"Yes, I suppose it has been rather tiresome... In my defense, I really did not expect that outcome when working with those ingredients." Sitting up, he pulled Danny into his lap, gently running a hand through his hair. "Even in here your hair is a wreck...honestly."

"I blame you for that. I don't know how, but I do."

"Blame accepted," Andrew nodded, pressing a kiss to Danny's temple. "After the day you've been through, I certainly deserve blame... The potion seems to have gone...wrong. What seems to have happened is that it's sent my main self into a coma like sleep, separating my consciousness into different, and the most dominant, parts of personality into separate, and one feeling things. Memories shared between the emotions are rather fuzzy, so I'm not sure of who all you've quite met without you describing them."

He shook his head. "I don't know for sure. I think I saw all the bad ones. Unless you're hiding some others, you hellion. Besides that, I think the only goodish ones I met are embarrassment, confidence, trust, and you. What are you?"

"Goodish..." Andrew sighed, looking pained. "Why must you always torture me..."

"Because I love you." The response drew a smile out of him, Andrew shaking his head as he sighed again.

"Somehow I had a feeling that would be your answer... I'm Content, by the way. I suppose the 'bad' ones you met would have been Obsession, Fear, Anger, and Hate- I was rather hoping you wouldn't have met Hate, but...I suppose not..." The smile seemed to fall, Andrew looking dismal. "I really am sorry for what was said, Danny."

He shrugged. "Bridge under the water. Wait..." A quiet chuckle was heard before he continued. "Whatever, you know what I mean. I'm just glad I've got you back." More than glad, he was beyond overjoyed. After that hell, he  deserved this. Now he just had to get Andrew to wake up...

"Not technically, actually..." Andrew nervously chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "You still have a few more emotions to go through- Good ones, though. You've already seen the twisted hell that is my mind, the rest was all influenced by you- As you've probably been able to tell."

"You are literally the worst tumblr blog."

"You would know, wouldn't you, mon cher?"

"Okay, you said you aren't my Andrew. You act like him." Andrew hummed, fingers gently tracing through the glove that hid Danny's scars on his left hand.

"I suppose so... I think you'll figure it out, given a few minutes. Trust did say I was one of the more dominant emotions, after all."

He bit his lip, trying to think. "Hm... nope. Still not- Oh. OH! Aww..." He wrapped his arms around Andrew, grinning and giggling. This wasn't  his Andrew, but it was Andrew. But then... all of them were sort of his.

The room changed again, and Danny found himself sitting alone on the couch, a gentle humming drawing his attention to the part of the room that faded into a bright yellow kitchen, the smell of cookies almost overwhelming, and drowning out a scent that just couldn't be placed.

"You're almost through all the emotions now, you know- Sorry it's been such a long day, but you need to see all of us before you can find the 'main' Andrew, so to speak." The current Andrew explained from the kitchen, using oven mitts to pull out a pan of freshly baked cookies. "There should be only one left, after me- I'm Joy, by the way. Cookie?"

Danny grinned. "Do you even have to ask?" He took one straight from the pan with a smile.

"You know, it's probably a  good thing you have ice powers," Andrew snorted, leaning against the counter as he watched Danny with a fond smile. "Mother would have smacked your hand away."

"Ice powers are the besterest."

"You small demon."

He took a bite of the cookie, grinning as he looked down at it. "It's just like Clockwork's!"

"That would be him and his time shenanigans," Andrew snorted, ruffling Danny's hair and trying to tame it into some form of order. "He uses his powers to make them taste like Mother's- Something about how they're the only ones you'll eat- Strange, though..." Trailing off, he gave a slight frown. "They shouldn't taste like hers...I never could get the recipe just right."

"Well, it tastes  perfect ."

"Hm, well, I'm glad you like them," Andrew smiled, brushing a kiss to Danny's forehead. "I'll have to make you some when we get through this mess- Which should be over soon. It's you who controls the changes, after all."

"That's what you keep saying." Licking the crumbs off his fingers, his nose wrinkled. "Is it just me, or do you smell... ice?" Andrew gave him a small smile, as if Danny already knew the answer and just wasn't remembering it.

"Remember that I'm Joy, and you should be able to figure it out, you bratty snow demon."

"...Oh. I...  Oh ." He gave a smile, and a nervous chuckle.

"I told you already," Andrew laughed, room already fading. "You influence so much of me...of course everything good here is a reminder of you."

Danny felt his face heat up as the room around him changed again, the color of the wall changing to cool pastels, and the books changing to either sappy and/or trashy romance novels and replicas of things Danny remembered giving to him over the years.

"I'm glad to see you're okay...I was worried about what would happen if you came in here to try and help." Andrew was across the room and hovering near a grand piano that was beneath a window that showed a stunning sunset, the warm colors washing over the room and giving it a loving feel. "Knowing you, I shouldn't have worried too much, I suppose... How are you feeling?"

"Surprisingly enough, emotionally drained. So, which one are you?" He sat down at the piano bench, looking up at Andrew with a weary smile.

"Hm, I think I might let you guess that one," Andrew hummed, taking a seat beside Danny and absently running his fingers across the keys, tune clear and pristine. "Any requests while we wait for this tiring day to end?"

Danny shrugged, leaning his head on Andrew's shoulder. "Whatever you want." Andrew nodded, and the tune turned into something sweet and soft, sounding remarkably similar to something Andrew had once sung to him during a rather terrible thunderstorm.

"Dare I ask what you learned about me today?"

Danny shook his head. "Please, no. Going through that once was bad enough."

The song paused for a moment and Andrew ran his hand through Danny's hair. "I think you may have to, mon cher." The song continued, and Andrew gave him an encouraging smile.

He sighed. "Well, I mean... you... you blame yourself for stuff, a lot." Andrew gave a nervous chuckle, shoulders a bit hunched in.

"I suppose I do have that habit quite a bit... Blaming myself." Fidgeting a bit, he glanced back to Danny quickly before returning his gaze to the piano. "What else?"

"You think... the worst is what's the truth." The song slowed down a bit, Andrew shooting him a confused look. "Well, like... Anxiety, right? You worry about everything."

"In...in a way, I suppose I do," Andrew mumbled quietly, giving a half shrug."It's more...I don't think I deserve  other's worry, I suppose."

"Lies and slander. I worry about you just fine."

"I'd argue about the first part of that sentence, but stubborn as you are, I have no doubt you would argue back until you won," Andrew mused, tired and worn smile on his face. "Alright, what's next?"

Danny lazily wrapped an arm around Andrew. "Well, I mean... even if you care about how other people react, you're fine with you. You always know what to do."

"I wouldn't say always, but remarkably close," Andrew mused, pausing his song to pull Danny into a sweet kiss. "Thank you for the lovely words, mon cher."

He smiled with a laugh. Now, he was slowly starting to see his real Andrew. "Well, they're more than just words." He pulled Andrew back down into another kiss. After a second's startled pause, Andrew happily returned it, the faintest of blushes on his cheeks when they parted.

"Still unexpected as always."

He snickered, "You blushing is my favorite part."

"Brat."

"Nerd." He pulled himself into the other's lap. "Comfy nerd."

"Still not sure whether or not to find that insulting," Andrew hummed, leaning back slightly so the other could be more comfortable as he continued the song on the piano, which sounded muted and quiet and just plain  peaceful in the room. "What else have you learned?"

He huffed at Andrew's shifting. "Things like that. You do these little things and try to be slick for  me. And just... yeah."

"I wouldn't use the word  slick ," Andrew hummed, pressing a sweet kiss to the other's cheek. "More...that it's not often you get to relax, so I like to do what I can to make sure you get at least a  little time to act your age. I'm assuming that's fifteen or so, considering your height."

"Oh. Wow. That was low. You know, that hurts, Andy." He put a hand to his chest. "Right here. Why don't you act your age?"

"You have my deepest and sincerest apologies, mon cher," Andrew grinned, adjusting their position again to where Danny was more tightly pressed against him. "I really did like the idea of keeping you here for a while longer..."

He rolled his eyes. "How about after you wake up?"

"Sounds delightful," Andrew chuckled, effortlessly switching songs into something a bit slower. "That still remains up to you, though. What else have you learned?"

Danny narrowed his eyes at his mate. "What is this, another Christmas poem? Did you do all of this for me to learn some lesson?"

"Ha, not quite," Andrew laughed, shaking his head. "Although that would have been a lot simpler than knocking myself unconscious, hm? No, it's just...whatever that potion did, it split who I am into who you've  seen . It's complicated, and I'm not quite sure how to explain it... But I think me waking up relies on you, mon cher."

"Leave it to me to be the hero." He gave an over dramatic sigh. "You are such a damsel in distress."

"Luckily I have you to save me. Now, who did you meet after Obsession?"

"Uh, sadness, or something? I dunno... I mean, you think you put me through a lot, but I'm the one that drags you out of the library all the time."

"Which is a good thing, if you ask me. I really did need to get out more- Vidya probably would have found a way to kick me out if you hadn't shown up when you did," Andrew sighed, sorrowful tinge to his smile. "I think it's safe to say we  both drag each other into our problems...but we at least help each other deal with them."

"Yeah, and you get pissed at whoever causes the problems, even if it's yourself." He laid against Andrew's chest with a hum. "You need to not. But keep being warm." He paused, looking back up at Andrew. "I saw my picture..."

Andrew sighed, a tinge of aggravation to the tone. "It's not that I'm angry at you, Danny, it's that I'm upset that you're so damn  stubborn . Even if it's the most foolish plan that has ever graced this god forsaken hunk of a realm, you are determined to see it through, no matter what anyone else says." Pausing, he gave another sigh, slightly worn smile on his face again. "I'm not angry at  you , just the fact you aren't more careful- Okay, well, I  was angry at you- But that was our first Christmas, and my book was destroyed, and I was thrown in jail. I can hardly be blamed for that."

Danny nodded, trying not to make it too obvious he was clinging to him. "Yeah... and you can be a real jerk, when you want to be..." The song stopped, and Andrew cupped Danny's cheeks before tilting his head to where their foreheads were leaning against each other.

"Yes, I can be a jerk, but I never meant to be one to you...That...  I was Hate, but I never meant to say those awful things to you, Danny. You saw what I felt before the room even changed. How horrified and terrified I was, of what I had done to you...of what I had said and made you feel... I hate my Order, and my past, and everything I've ever done wrong...but not you.

" Never you, mon cher."

Danny gave a small nod. "I... I never saw you cry, before." Andrew sighed, closing his eyes as he leaned against Danny, slight tremor in his shoulders.

"No, I suppose you haven't... I've managed to hide things far better than I care for, sometimes, but I think that's what I fear most...losing you, or having you fear me... That one day you'll realize just  who I used to be- You already saw a glimpse, after all..."

"Yeah? Well... I guess I've been waiting for when you figure out who I can  become ..."

"I suppose we've both been hiding our own demons, hm?" Pulling Danny close to him, Andrew pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "When you met Trust, those were things I meant to tell you, and wanted to tell you, but could never figure out how... I suppose at least one good thing came of this mess."

He nodded, hugging Andrew closely. "Yeah... and I am glad you told me. The more I learn, the less surprised I get. I mean, my mate is an ex assassin that controls reality. You'd think nothing would surprise me." Andrew gave a laugh at that, shaking his head.

"You are ridiculous."

"I thought I was a demon."

"You might as well be," Andrew snorted, rolling his eyes and lightly scratching the other's scalp. "An irritating one that causes trouble wherever he goes. Still adorable and loveable, though."

"Cause I'm your demon." He smiled at the scratching. "I'm happy that you're so Content around me."

"Mm, Content was rather sappy," Andrew sighed, sounding regretful. "And here I hoped to keep my aloof nature."

Danny rose an eyebrow. "You had one?"

"Ha ha. I believe you only have two emotions left to go through, by the way."

"Yeah, well, I mean... I didn't really get Joy. Like I got it, but I didn't get it."

"It might help if you explain to me  exactly what you didn't understand, mon cher."

"Well, like... everything but the cookies was about me. I thought I'd see more stuff about your family there."

"Danny... Joy might as well have been non existent before you crashed into my life. Yes I had memories of Mother and Randy, but they were...not always joyful, or happy ones. Everything with you, however... You might as well be my joy in it's entirety."

He buried his face in Andrew's chest, speaking around the sweater. "That was illegal."

"Good thing I don't care much about legality," Andrew hummed, cuddling Danny close to him, and smiling softly. "I believe you have only one more emotion to go through- One you still haven't guessed the name of."

He shrugged. "I dunno, Happiness? It's like some weird mashup of joy and contentment."

"Well, you're not wrong," Andrew chuckled, kissing Danny's cheek. "Why not try looking at the room more closely? The other rooms spoke of who my emotions were as well, if you'll remember."

Doing as he said, Danny looked around until realization struck him, and he gave Andrew a playful glare. "You sap."

"I suppose I am rather a sap," Andrew hummed, pulling Danny into a sweet and gentle kiss. "As you've probably guessed, this room didn't even exist before I met you."

"Nerd." He tugged on the scarf around his neck. "Are you going to wake up, now?"

"Only if you want me to, mon petit héros."

"Please?" In a moment, Danny found himself back in the real Vidya, Randy sitting a couple feet away, and looking surprised as Andrew stirred, the man slowly sitting up before groaning and placing a hand to his head.

"Holy shit, you actually did it," Randy grinned, slapping his brother on the back, who glared darkly. "See anything interesting while you were stuck in his head?"

The two looked at each other before Danny shrugged. "No, not really."

"So I'm not interesting, am I?"

"No, you're a dork. Also, I want cookies, now. Real cookies, not stupid poser dream cookies."

"I'm not even gonna ask," Randy sighed, shaking his head as he helped Andrew off the couch. "I really do not wanna know- I agree with the cookies though. Make them. Make them now."

"My mistake, I wasn't aware I was looking after  children today."

"You're the one that said I should act my height, mon ange."

"You are both terrible people," Andrew rolled his eyes, blinking as he saw two stone lions wagging their tails and sitting behind Danny, hopeful expression on all of their faces. "...I am weak."

"When it comes to him? Remarkably so," Randy nodded, already heading towards the kitchen. "I bet all your dreams were sappy. Super sap from your poetry when you were thirteen sappy."

As Randy left the room, Danny wrapped his tail around Andrew's wrist. "Never speak of that again?"

"Mon cher, you needn't even ask."


	6. Day Six : Dream

4am. Twin asleep. 16.3k words of this in less than 24 hours. This is a continuation of the previous day. Please enjoy while I lose consciousness.

* * *

**Day Six : Dream : Third Person**

**::**

"I think you should sit, and calm down, before I say anymore."

"My mate just faced one of the greatest threats we've seen in years before promptly _losing consciousness_ and not waking up for _ten hours_ AND YOU'RE TELLING ME TO BE CALM?!"

Clockwork put his hand on the man's shoulder, gently guiding him to a chair next to Danny's bed. "Yes. This is to be expected. He's very powerful, with a large amount of energy inside him. He just expended a large amount of that energy, and it's regenerating too quickly for him to handle while conscious." His pause was clipped, as though he meant to say more.

"...What did you just stop yourself from saying, Clockwork..." It was not a question.

The Time Master sighed. "I may regret telling you..."

" _Ten hours._ "

"I fear his mind may be... fragmented, as yours once was." Andrew took a steadying breath before leaning back in his chair and looking up at Clockwork with an expectant look. "You recall your emotions being split into their purest forms?"

"So that's happened with him?"

"That is the best way to explain it, yes. Though since your minds are different, I'm sure there are differences." ...Andrew had a feeling there was a side of Danny's mind entirely dedicated to puns. He was _sure_ of it.

"And let me guess on what the best way to wake him up is..." He was already sounding exhausted.

"Yes, I believe we're both thinking the same thing." Clockwork crossed his arms, and seemed to straighten up. "I'll watch for signs of anything out here. You know what to do."

"Help my mate out of another idiotic mess he's found his way into? Yes, I know what to do." Standing up and pausing, Andrew gave a humorless smile. "You might want to be careful when saying those words to an assassin, however." Turning intangible, he glanced down to his sleeping mate, giving another sigh. "Always so troublesome."

Disappearing into the other, he blinked at seeing that everything was...dark. From what Danny had told him of his own memory incident - when they did talk about it - his mind had been grey at the start, before fading into different rooms. He had a feeling, however, that he wouldn't be seeing _rooms_ this time around.

"As cliche as I'm about to sound... Are you here, Danny?" He was probably going to end up regretting those words. Especially when he saw that it wasn't _black_ so much as the _walls_ were black. And...looking like a maze?

A surprised voice came from around the corner. "Ghostwriter?"

No...that. That was wrong. That was all wrong. For one thing, the voice was far too deep - much like his own - as well as the fact that he was called _Ghostwriter_. Danny hardly, if ever, called him Ghostwriter. Not unless he was rather angry at him. Even in the beginning he had been called 'GW' more than anything.

"Finally come to see the monster you helped create?"

"Looking for a wayward mate, actually," Andrew shot back, carefully rounding the corner and raising an eyebrow at what he saw. "If I had to guess from description alone, you would be Dan, correct?" The being in front of him certainly fitted what he had been told by Danny, at least when he did tell him bits and pieces. A few years younger in age, perhaps, but...it was definitely Dan.

Dan gave a cruel smirk. "Look at the big brain on this one. Figure that one out all by yourself, Andy?"

"Oh, my apologies. Would you rather me deduce how many psychological disorders you have and how the destruction you cause is based on a broken core and the fact you lost your entire family and all your friends in aborted timeline that no longer exists? I can certainly do that, if you wish."

Dan's hands lit up with green energy, glaring at him. "You shut your fucking mouth, Riter."

"Oh, I'm terrified, truly. I might just break down screaming and begging for my life at any moment." Andrew gave a small yawn, looking around the area while carefully keeping a part of his sight on Dan at all times. "Didn't take you the type to hide in mazes, however."

"Why d'ya think I'm trying to bust out?" He gestured to the blackened walls, some with small dents, but nary a crack in sight.

"To find the other personalities and form a cliche indie band?"

"Yeah, and I'm going to put your head on a pike for the first song. I'm sure hearing your screams will sound great."

"Being a part of Danny's mind, I thought you heard my screams quite often," Andrew smirked, expression fading for surprise at seeing a tattered, worn, and aged gray scarf that was wrapped around Dan's left hand and arm. A scarf he knew all too well.

Dan followed his gaze, raising an eyebrow. "Take a picture, why don'tcha? It'll last longer."

"...You're not Dan." Studying the ghost top to bottom for another second, Andrew shook his head. "I've been taking a step closer to you ever since we met, and each time you take a step back. You refuse to do anything besides make threats. You're still wearing the scarf... You may act like him, but you're _not_ the Dan he fears."

"No... I'm the one he could _become_. And ain't that even better than the real thing?"

"He won't become you." The words were said without a doubt, and paired with a small smile. "You can rage inside here all you want, and tear down every wall there is...but he won't become you. He's strong enough to know what's right, and to avoid every path that leads to you- And even if he doesn't, he has all of us to help him."

"Rage?! I'll show you rage, you little rat!" He aimed his hand at Andrew with a glare. "Say goodbye, you good-for-nothing, washed up, pathetic assassin-wannabe."

"Wow. That hurts," Andrew drawled, fingers twitching for his pocket. He couldn't exactly defend himself in here, not when any movement on his part risked harming a part of Danny's mind. And if he dodged, it would hit one of the walls and son of a bitch this was going to hurt...

A new Danny appeared, this one completely in human form, and looking younger than the real Danny was, although he had bright green eyes. He stood between the two, glaring at Dan. " _Enough_. You do realize that if he dies here, he dies out there, too."

He didn't drop his stance. "Good. One less nuisance out of the way."

The new Danny's glare intensified. "You know you can't. All of us will stop you, if we have to."

A moment passed, and Dan lowered his hand with a sigh, scowling and jerking his head. "Get outta here before I change my mind."

This new Danny grabbed Andrew's hand, and began pulling him out of the room. Even as they started to disappear around the corner, Andrew grinned wickedly and glanced back, "Maybe next time I visit we can have a nice tea party, seeing how sweet and gentle you are. I'll even bring the cookies."

"I WILL MURDER YOU IN YOUR SLEEP!"

"That's a very ineffective way to kill a trained assassin, but please, be my guest. I have a feeling all you'll do is cuddle, however."

As the new Danny dragged him away, the 'younger' sighed. "Why did you do that... Now we won't get him to shut up for ever."

"My apologies, mon cher, but I could hardly resist myself," Andrew hummed. "Now, would you be so kind as to tell me _what the hell is going on_." Okay, so he was panicking a bit. He was allowed to panic after meeting _Dan_.

"You just met this version of Dan. Basically, every scrap of anger and hate Danny has, he pushes into a corner. _His_ corner. He is kinda right. If Danny let himself, he could turn into that death monger, so that's what always keeps him... me... us... on the straight and narrow."

"...Why do I have a feeling this mess is just as confusing to you as it is to me..." Because he _knew_ Danny, often in ways the teen didn't even understand himself. That and he had tutored him for years. He knew when he was showing confusion over something.

"Oh, definitely. So, you gonna guess which one I am?"

"Protection." The response was shot back without a pause, small smile on his face. "Considering how the emotions and feelings in here are seperated, I assumed you would be so, considering how protective you acted back there."

"...You're... Well, you've stopped panicking."

"Rest assured, mon cher, I am heavily panicking and worrying," Andrew smiled, giving the other's hand a light squeeze. "I'm rather close to having a nervous breakdown at what I've learned so far. I just happen to be very good at masking my emotions."

Protection frowned, and hugged Andrew's arm to his chest. "If I can handle what I learned, you can handle this. After all, you're always the smarter of the two of us. And I'll be here when you need me."

"...Definitely Protection." Giving a quiet sigh, he raised an eyebrow at noticing that the other was also wearing a gray scarf, this one tied around his wrist.

"Whatever. Just... don't worry too much, okay? You know what to do, you just... find the rest of us. Here's Prince. He should lead you in the right direction. I can't go in, but you can. I'll go deal with _him_. Don't worry. And hey, be safe, okay? Not everything in here is as good as us."

"Prince?" Before his question could be answered, Protection was gone, and Andrew was left alone in the maze. He looked around warily, continuing further on his own. He turned into a small area covered in ice and snow. He floated over the ground, looking around. "I suppose this is where I can find Prince?"

"I would hope so, otherwise I would be in the wrong area." This Danny was far different than any other, maybe even more different than Dan. This one had icy blue skin, and pure white hair, floating around his head etherally. Atop the hair a crown of glittering ice hovered. He wore a purple cloak, similar to that of Clockwork's, and a black sleeveless turtleneck, and black leggings, all seeming comfortably loose. What surprised him most was the grey scarf around his waist, being used as both a belt, and a holster for a sword. He brought himself to look at this version of Danny in the eyes, surprised to see his eyes were a bright blue, and clear as ice.

"As you've noticed, I'm Prince." Pausing in his introduction, he flew closer, setting a hand on Andrew's cheek as he looked him over. "You're alright, yes? I was hoping you wouldn't have met Dan first, but, that seems to not be the case..."

"Yes, I... I'm fine." He felt as though he should be bowing, or kneeling. The way this Danny carried himself... "Why exactly is it you're called Prince? Danny isn't much in the way of acting royal." As he thought about it, though...

"I would be the manifestation of who he is one day meant to be," Prince explained, still checking Andrew over for any wounds, and peacefully floating in front of him. "As you know, once Pariah was defeated, ancient Ghost Laws dictate that his defeater is his successor... Since Danny is still alive, for the most part, he is not yet able to take the throne. One day, however, I fear we won't have much of a choice...

"He knows more than he lets on about this world, he just...would rather not admit to it. Clockwork seems to think we understand little when it comes to the title of King, but not so. We would rather not think on what this means for the future, is all. And while he may not act royal, he does pull off the job rather marvelously - the Truce being an example of such." Pausing, his smile became softer.

"...I am glad you are alright, however. Being in here...might be more dangerous than when we traversed your mind."

"Dangerous how? As I recall, you aren't exactly a trained assassin. I think I'll be able to handle myself."

"And as _you_ should recall, mon ange, I hold far more power than I should - especially for being only half in these worlds. The reason we are in this predicament is due to so much of this power being used... He doesn't want to tell you that he's scared of that power, but I'm sure you'll figure that out as you continue in here."

Andrew gave a nod. "I'm sure." He paused for a second before pulling Prince into a hug, clinging to him. "I'm going to fix this." Prince seemed startled for a moment, before giving a quiet laugh and hugging Andrew back.

"I don't believe what _you're_ referring to is something that can be fixed, mon ange... Waking us up, however, certainly can. You will need to meet the others. They are spread out across the maze, and each one will show you to the next. We can't cross over into each other's areas - except Dan's - so you might be on your own here and there...but you'll be fine.

"If anyone can save us, after all, it's you."

He nodded with a smile. "You can always save yourself, mon cher. I have faith that you can."

"Such a sap," Prince chuckled, taking Andrew's hand and guiding him down the hall, the snow and ice fading back into black halls that seemed to be _watching_ them. "Please be careful. There are things in here...that I would rather you not see."

"The same could have been said when you were in my mind," Andrew mused. "I seem to recall that working out rather well in the end." Prince gave a small smile, paired with a light chuckle.

"I suppose so, my sweet writer. At least _try_ to be careful in here, however..." Bending down, he pressed a sweet kiss to the other's hand. "Until next we meet, mon ange." In a flash Prince was gone, and Andrew was left alone in the halls.

"Brat." There was a smile on his face anyways, as he kept walking, the sense of being watched and _judged_ getting worse. Fingers itching for one of his knives, he paused and took a breath, trying to stay calm. The only thing in here was Danny - or at least parts of him. Whatever fear he was feeling was what Danny must be feeling, and...

...There was so much of it...

Hearing a quiet sound that he had grown familiar to, far more than he would have liked, he immediately flew over to where it was coming from, worry coming out full force as he spoke quietly. "Danny?"

A new Danny looked up at him from where he sat curled up in the corner. He gave a sniff with wet eyes. "Andrew..." His voice warbled as he put his face back into his knees, sobs creeping out of the space between his legs and chest as his shoulders heaved up and down.

Andrew sighed quietly, flying over before settling on the ground in front of the other a few feet away - the other didn't look older than fourteen - and speaking softly. "Danny? Can you look up at me?" He had comforted Danny before...but never a Danny this young. Never one who still looked like he was a _child_ , even though Andrew knew how much he had dealt with at that age.

The Danny shook his head, nearly getting swallowed up by the large hooded purple trenchcoat he wore.

"Okay, you don't have to look up if you don't want to. Would you like to tell me what's wrong, however, or would you rather have me be quiet?"

He held one arm out for Andrew, slowly looking up at him, still sniffling as tears ran down his face. He also clutched a grey scarf close to his chest, like a child might do with a plushie or a security blanket.

"Hugs it is." Andrew gave a small smile, sitting next to Danny before pulling him into his lap, pressing a sweet kiss to his cheek as he held him closely, absently noticing the gray scarf. So far all the Dannys seemed to be wearing it, or at least holding it, in some way. "As stupid and cliche as it is to say this, everything really will be fine. Things work out, whether with our help, or by themselves. It's okay for you to cry, and be scared, and upset, but I promise you that it will be okay, Danny."

He nodded, holding onto Andrew's coat, his breathing slowly calming down, before he started hiccuping. "Mhm..." At the reponse, Andrew held him more tightly, staying silent and letting him catch his breath. "I'm not scared with you... Not as much..."

"I'm glad I'm able to help, then," Andrew smiled, ignoring the part of him that was bitter. How could _anyone_ feel safe with an _assassin_? He had been trained to kill and take lives...not comfort those who saved them. "You wouldn't happen to know how to wake Danny up, would you?"

He shook his head. "No, but... I'm still scared. What if I don't wake up?" Andrew carefully released Danny and placed both hands on his cheeks, turning his head towards him until he could give him a gentle smile.

"You're going to wake up, Danny. While this was...an unexpected development, you're going to be okay. I promise you...and do I ever break my promises to you?" Even as he spoke, he was a little uneasy himself. He knew Danny would wake up himself, but...this was nothing like emotions, or like what they had dealt with in his mind. This was...so much different.

"No, but-"

"No buts. You'll be fine and forcing me to bake you cookies in no time. So, please stop crying? You're much more gorgeous with a smile on your face, mon cher fantôme." Judging by how he was talking of being scared, this was most likely his Fear manifesting itself, which didn't surprise him too much.

Fear nodded, though he didn't give a smile. The tears did stop, thankfully. Fear stood slowly, holding tightly to Andrew's hand with one hand and still holding the scarf with the other. As they walked, Fear leaned heavily into Andrew's side. "I'm still scared..."

"Would you like to tell me what you're scared of?" It was a careful question, phrased to where he could refuse if he wanted to.

"What if you leave, or Sam and Tucker and Mom and Dad and Randy leave? What if I can't control my powers? What if I break down like Danielle did? I can't... I can't let those things happen, if they happen, then- Then-" His breathing started quickening, again, his eyes darting around the halls.

Stopping them in their tracks, Andrew once again tilted Fear's head towards him, speaking softly and quietly. "Danny, I need you to breathe in time with me, okay? Slowly and deeply. I know...that there's a lot of things you're scared of, but I want you to remember that you're going to be okay. You're going to be alright. None of us are going to leave you, we're all here for you, no matter what else happens. So can you please breathe for me, Danny?"

Nodding, Fear timed his breathing with Andrew's, focusing on keeping it in rhythm with Andrew's as he led him through the maze. "You... Will you find the next one from here? Are you going to be alright? What if something happens?"

"Danny, I'm in _your_ mind. You'd never let anything happen to me, I know I'll be fine. Besides, you were brave and strong enough to lead me this far, so I think I can take the rest of it from here-" Pausing, Andrew smiled down at Danny, giving him a sweet kiss to his forehead. "Remember what I said, okay? It's alright for you to be afraid, but we're all here for you...and that won't ever change."

The small, tiny smile he saw was so miniscule and quick, he would have thought it hadn't been there, if he didn't know Danny. As Fear disappeared, he looked on ahead, making his way through the maze and to the next area. Not a split second later and there was a ghost clinging to him fiercely.

"...Danny?"

"Mine." Huffing, the ghost clung tighter, staring up at Andrew with bright green eyes. He was in his ghost form as Phantom, and looking a few years younger than he did now. He also wore his scarf tightly around his neck, in a style he recognized all too easily. One that sent chills down his spine.

"While I'm not arguing that, mind telling me why you're clinging to me?"

"...Obsession," he mumbled quietly, tail forming and curling around Andrew's leg, adjusting himself to where his arms were wrapped around the other's neck, and they were pressed chest to chest. "I'm Obsession, and I'm obsessed with you. And secrets."

His eyes widened. "Secrets?" Surely his obsession was protection? That's what everyone had thought for years. Obsession nodded, not speaking as he snuggled closer, hands clenched in Andrew's coat.

Andrew finally wrapped his arms around Danny as he slid down against the wall to sit. He had a feeling this conversation was going to be a long one... "What about secrets?"

"I have to keep them. I can't let anyone know." Obsession paused, looking upset with himself as he shook his head and buried himself into Andrew's chest. "Not supposed to say."

Andrew nodded, bringing a hand up to stroke Danny's hair. "It's alright, I wasn't going to ask further... Can you tell me anything that could help me?" Obsession looked up, biting his lip as he frantically shook his head, eyes closing as he stopped and gave another huff.

"Secrets are my obsession...but you're more important... Secrets. What he knows and can't say. Stay hidden. Stay out of sight. Keep to the shadows. Don't be noticed. Stay quiet. Blend in. Act _human_. Act normal. Don't let anyone know. Don't let anyone guess. Don't cause suspicion. Be _human_. Be absolutely, completely, perfectly _human_. Have to be. Can't be anything else. _Can't_."

Andrew gave a silent nod, taking this all in. Now that he thought about it, it made sense. The way Danny always was jumpy if he thought someone had an inkling of an idea towards his secret - towards any of his secrets. The fact he had been told those same words as a child certainly made everything seem more bitter. "Alright... anything to help me wake you up?"

"Don't wanna wake up. He doesn't. I don't. A lot of us don't. Too stressful. Too much. _Too many secrets_." Obsession had a hitch in his voice, eyes looking a bit watery. "Too much to hide, too much to keep track of, too much to keep away- I hate it- I _hate_ it- I don't wanna wake up and deal with it anymore!"

Andrew cupped his cheek. "Danny, it's alright, you don't have to tell me anymore, if you don't want to. It's okay."

"It's not okay!" Obsession snapped, sounding even worse. "He _wants_ to tell you all these things, he wants to tell you _everything_! I'm sick of all the secrets, I hate them, he doesn't want this as his obsession. He _knows_ and he doesn't _want me here_. None of us want me here! _I_ don't want to be here! There's so much I have to know and I don't _want_ to know any of it!

"He doesn't want to let his friends know he wishes about being a full ghost! He doesn't want to let Clockwork know _Dan_ is in here- He doesn't want to let Frostbite know that he's _scared_ of his ice core- He doesn't want his parents to _ever_ find out what he is, he doesn't want to let the ghosts know he's _terrified_ of them and he... I... I don't want you to know that I just wish I was...that...that I was dead..."

Andrew hushed him. "Danny, I would much rather know these things than not know them. I want to help you, mon cher. I really do. And I want you to know that."

"I just...wish I could stop keeping secrets," Obsession mumbled, sounding worn out and tired as he leaned against Andrew, body almost limp. "I wish the obsession could have been protecting...but... I hate it, and I wasn't _supposed_ to tell you... I was supposed to keep it all a secret...I wasn't..." Obsession slowly trailed off, voice getting weaker as he clung to Andrew. "I wasn't supposed to tell..."

"It's alright, mon cher. No one will punish you for telling. Now, I need to wake you up. Do you really want me out in that world without you with me?" Obsession slowly shook his head, the thought of Danny not being with Andrew seeming so much more _wrong_ than telling a secret.

"I... I can show you where to go next..." Floating up, he tugged Andrew along with him, giving him a pitiful look. "He's going to remember everything I told you today."

"I know. And I'm not going to leave, because of it. I'll be right here for you, when you wake up." He gave Danny a small smile, interlacing their fingers together.

"...I'm glad you're my obsession, too." Having a small smile now, he tugged Andrew along the hall, not straying more than a few inches from his side before they finally stopped. "I can't go any further... You'll be alright?"

"Yes. I'll be fine, Danny. And once this mess is over, I'll never leave. I love you far too much for that. Though maybe I'll be able to help you with some of those secrets." Obsession paused at the wording, looking conflicted before finally giving a nod.

"No one should keep this many secrets..." Giving another half smile, he let go of Andrew's hand, flying back the direction he had come from.

Andrew watched him leave before continuing onwards, feeling doubt and confliction surrounding him as he pressed on.

"Oh? Now I have to deal with this...great." A fifteen year old Danny with bright green eyes leaned against the wall, clothing layered on top of him and scarf wrapped around his neck so many times the ends were nowhere in sight, causing his words to come out muffled. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed as he looked at Andrew. "Come on, then. Let's get you to the next guy already."

"Well, aren't you pleasant? Which one are you, then? Teenage angst?"

"No," he denied, smirk heard in his voice. "Keep guessing if you want, but follow me. It's...not safe for you to be in here on your own." Walking towards another exit of the maze, he glanced back at Andrew, eyebrow raised.

"Oh, joy. It's the Sassy Sarcastic Teenage Danny. How lovely."

"Oh, joy. It's the Smartalec Annoying Old Writer. How lovely." Seeing Andrew was following, he nodded and kept on his way, slowing down until Andrew was only a few inches away, instead of feet.

"Old, hm? Well, you're only a year younger than I am. And a couple feet shorter. What's the matter? Not going to grow, anymore?"

"No! I'm going to grow! Watch, one day I'll be taller than you!"

He rose an eyebrow. "Yes, definitely going to grow. Don't most people stop growing at 20? How old are you?"

"I _am_ going to grow. I'm just a late bloomer, is all," the teen huffed, arms crossed as he stalked down the halls.

"So." Andrew watched the teen out of the corner of his eye as they walked. "Why are you so excited to make me leave?"

"I'm not." The teen paused as they reached an intersection, finally picking an almost unseen path and continuing onwards, glancing back to make sure Andrew was right behind him.

"'Let's get you to the next guy, already.' Your exact words. You should know by now that I can see through your lies, even if I pretend not to. Is that who you are? Lies?"

"No. It's not," he bitterly muttered, arms crossed again as he practically _glared_ at Andrew. He seemed to pause for a second, finally letting out an aggravating sigh. Stupid Riter. "And those weren't my exact words."

Andrew smirked at his small victory. "Oh, yes they were. To the letter. So if you aren't Lies, who are you? Deceit? Denial? Rejection?"

"The last one was just uncalled for, thank you!" Picking at his sleeves, he looked back to Andrew, small tilt to his head. "I'm neither of those things."

"You said neither. That implies you're not two of those things. Which was it then?" He was wondering how he'd be able to tell when no matter what he said, the teen said the opposite.

"Neither." You think a _writer_ would be able to figure this out by now. Suddenly stopping in his tracks, he jerked Andrew to a halt, tugging him away from the path that led to a sudden drop, and instead onto another one. "Stupid goddamn maze. Of course you have to get stuck with _me_ when it comes to the most dangerous part..."

"Oh, I'm not worried too much. Even if you are Denial, I trust you wouldn't let anything happen." He looked to Danny with a smile.

"You..." Denial huffed, turning his head away with a light blush on his cheeks. Evil, annoying, writer mate. "I'm not Denial."

"You know, you make your thoughts rather obvious, mon cher."

"Shut up! No I don't!" Denial snapped, blush even worse. "I'm not Denial and I don't deny things!" Ugh. This would be better if he didn't have to deal with _Andrew_ who saw through _everything_. He was just lucky Fear and Obsession was dealing with most of the bad memories today, that left him free to at least hide the darker things in Danny's mind when it came to denying what he was.

Andrew wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him closer. "That last time, I never said anything about who you were. That's one of your faults, my dear mate. You're _too_ quick to deny things."

"No I'm not, and I hope you fall off one of these cliffs," Denial huffed, skittering away from one of the pitfalls and tugging Andrew with him. "Just not that one."

Andrew snickered. Now that he knew what this one was, he could have fun. "Any other death threats?"

"...No," Denial hissed out, shoulders taunt as he glared at his mate. Stupid evil piece of... "I don't have any other death threats."

"A shame. I was looking forward to those. I'm sure you wouldn't have any names to call me, then."

"...No. I don't have any names to call you." He was going to kill this man when Danny woke up. He would take over the whole damn place if he had to _and no one would blame him_.

"You know, I love the color of the sky. Such a nice blue."

"It's not blue, and you are the most evil man to have ever walked these worlds." _Death to him and his kin_.

"You love me." At that, Denial paused, scowl on his face slowly being replaced with a small smile and incredulous laugh. Of all the things he _could_ say...

"Yes. I do."

Andrew's eyes widened as he stared at Danny. "Come again?" Did he... was he lying? Was he telling the truth? This was Denial, but... it was also Danny.

"Stop that. With the over thinking and doubting and worrying," Denial huffed, falling back to take Andrew's hand in his, small blush on his face. "Yes. I love you. Very much, and I couldn't see my life without you. You...letting you know how I feel is the only thing I _won't_ deny... I sort of did enough of that in the beginning, after all."

It took a moment, but he finally gave a soft smile. "Yes, I suppose you did."

"Oh, yeah. Because you didn't deny your feelings _at all_ ," Denial rolled his eyes, sarcasm thick in his voice. "You _obviously_ admitted to your feelings and never _once_ doubted our relationship. Or the fact we're mates. Not at all."

"Far less than you did, didn't I? I may not have told you at the beginning, but it didn't take long for me to at least admit it to myself."

"Mhm." Denial hummed a noncommittal answer as he pulled Andrew along a few more moments, finally slowing to a stop and smiling at realizing where they were. "Oh, now that... That is great..." If only he could have stuck around to see Andrew's expression when he realized who he was meeting next. "Right, well...

"This is as far as I can go- You're at least away from the most dangerous parts- You know, probably. Eh. Maybe. Anyways. Yes. I lost track of my thoughts, gonna be honest there. Just...total loss."

Andrew smirked. "You, being honest? What a surprise. And here I was, thinking you denied everything. Though, I'm not entirely surprised. I'm sure I'll be seeing you again, soon." He gave Danny a sad smile.

"Eh, probably not as much as you think," Denial shrugged, turning on his heel and heading back the way he came, pausing for a few seconds to shoot Andrew a smile. "It's gotten a lot more quiet here, since you showed up. Didn't you _wonder_ why parts of the maze were missing? He finally stopped denying some things."

As he left, Andrew smiled, walking forward and feeling a small hop in his step, curiously enough. What was this next one going to be, to make him this happy? He called out, "Danny?"

"Hm- Ah! Andy! You finally made it to this part!" In a flash Danny was bouncing over, completely human and his normal age, scarf wrapped around his neck and book clutched in his arms. "I was so worried! I heard about you dealing with Dan- And then Denial's pitfalls! I mean, he can handle them fine, but- Are you okay?"

"I think I'm fine. And you, mon cher? I know this isn't _you_ , but are you okay?" The new Danny nodded, pressed into Andrew's side as he gave him a happy smile.

"Mhm, I'm fine! It's just this place is really dangerous, and we've all been worried about you- And that power break... Usually we can share thoughts and memories and visit each other and stuff like that but now it's just... It's silent. As if that wasn't bad enough, _you're_ stuck in here trying to wake us up- Are you _sure_ you're okay?"

"I'll be fine."

"That's a terrible response and I am now officially worried. Consider me officially worried for my mate's well being." Letting the book he was holding float out of his hands and freely in the air, he quickly wrapped himself around Andrew, nuzzling sweetly into his neck. "As if not being able to see you _lately_ wasn't bad enough, the first time we do get to spend time together and it ends with this mess."

Andrew nodded, hugging him close. "Indeed. At least I'm here with you now."

"True, kind of, in a way," the other hedged, giving a small shrug as he snuggled closer. "You sort of get to see all the things we keep hidden from even you, but we _wanted_ to tell you. So, you know. Good things out of destruction, and all that. Or whatever. I think."

"Indeed." He looked up at the book that was floating above him, and used one hand to grab it. At seeing the title, his eyes widened. "This is..."

"He won't admit to it, but he actually re-reads that book a lot when you're not looking. Even before he admitted his feelings, he still liked reading the parts with you in it- Woo, Denial and Obsession had fun that day. And by fun I mean they were very frustrated."

"I'm sure." Opening the book, he saw small scribblings in the margins, and raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"I mean, come on. Reindeer suddenly turning into ghosts? Sudden hatred from town? _Trees coming to life_? There were a lot of plot holes and poor characterization. Hardly my fault if I made a _few_ suggestions. And maybe added onto the ending. A bit. Like. Tiny bit." The Danny was fidgeting now, slight blush on his cheeks as he avoided the other's gaze.

"Added on, did you?" He flipped to the back page with amusement, smiling at the illustration of his mate from the end of their Christmas adventure.

"Like, little tiny bit," he hedged, adjusting his position to where he was now behind Andrew and peeking over his shoulder, seeing where he was reading. "Like, hardly 2k words. And maybe a picture."

He flipped the page, surprised that there were multiple pages added. He scanned quickly over the words with a smile. "It rhymes."

"Yeah, well, I mean, it _is_ a poem." The Danny was blushing now, avoiding looking at both the book and Andrew. "Tried to do my best to imitate your writing style. Tried. Eh." He wondered if it was too late to run... He could probably escape. Probably.

Andrew gave him a kiss on the cheek as he read through. "You did very well, mon douce fantôme. Though, that may be due to how much of my work you've read. And I think this is a very nice illustration." He pointed to a picture of he and his mate laying on their regular couch at Vidya, and he seemed to be reading to Danny. "More of a tasteful picture than I had been expecting."

"Oh, trust me, plenty of _those_ pictures have been drawn," he hummed, glancing at the purple trenchcoat the other was wearing as he lightly tugged on it. Seeing there was still more in the book, however, Andrew began to flip the page. In a flash, the book was out of his hands, and being thrown over the maze wall. "You _know_ , not to change subjects, but you _do_ look _much_ better with this off."

He gave a smirk. "I'm sure you think so. Mind helping me with it?" The other seemed surprised for a moment before a wicked smirk appeared, voice coming out in more of a purr than anything.

"Why, I'd be delighted, my dear mate~" Apparently, this Danny also had access to his ghost powers, since the coat was soon lying on the ground, and he was cuddled back up to Andrew, arms wrapped around his neck and tugging him down for a sweet kiss. "You know, we never get to see you anymore... Exams, finals, ghost issues, and when we do get to Vidya, we're all so exhausted the only thing we can do is _sleep_. It is very frustrating, my dear sweet Andrew."

"My dear poor mate. Truly a crime upon crimes. Why don't I help rectify such a crime?" He pulled Danny closer, smiling as his hand trailed down the halfa's side. He then brought the hand up to hold Danny's chin, pulling him into a kiss.

The kiss was eagerly returned, ghost powers now quickly phasing the other's shirt off. "Much better~ In case you haven't guessed by now - although you probably have - I'm Love. And I'm very glad I get to have you to myself for a little bit..."

The moment the words were said, Andrew found that Danny was no longer wrapped around him. In fact, he couldn't see the man anywhere, as well as his shirt and coat. Faintly hearing a frustrated cry, he glared at the area around him, muttering viciously in French.

" _I'm sure you can continue what was started when you get home_." The response was spoken in perfect, accented French, a quiet chuckle accompanying it. "I have a feeling Love will be as upset as you are for a while... I'm Timekeeper, and you're still missing a shirt."

"Yes, I know this." The Danny now in front of him, 'Timekeeper,' looked worn, though not with age. It was more as though he knew all there was to know about fighting from living it. Including the aftermath. Wrapped around him was a blue cloak, the hood falling around his neck. In his hand was a silver scythe, with a green, blue, and purple gemstone each in the metal. Wrapped around the handle of the scythe was the scarf. He rose an eyebrow at the figure. "Timekeeper?"

"I suppose you could say while Prince is the one who has the most power, I'm the one who knows how to use it. The one who remembers the battles, and what they brought. I'm also the one who holds his time powers - weak and latent as they may be. Don't tell, but he'll probably come into them sooner than a century, like Clockwork believes." Leisurely floating behind the man, he settled a hand on his back and nudged him forward. "We need to keep moving, in this area. Being the place of time energy, if you linger for too long things can get...confusing."

"Confusing how-" His world suddenly turned black as he slowly nodded. "Well, I think I found my shirt and coat."

"Surprising, since I rather thought Love would have kept them," Timekeeper mused, taking the articles off of Andrew's head and handing them back to him. "Come on, this area is rather small, considering it's still...dormant, I suppose is the best word. You'll meet the next part of Danny's personality rather soon."

As Andrew struggled to get his clothes back on properly, he huffed. "What do you mean confusing?"

"Danny is still half human, and while his ghost side does a marvelous job of storing the energy - considering in one timeline the body broke down by his seventeenth year - it can't yet handle the strain of time powers. Perhaps one day when he becomes a full spirit, but until then, this area is rather...tangled. He's supposed to have these powers, but since his body can't yet handle them, they remain locked away in here, with myself as the keeper."

Andrew nodded along as the two walked down the halls. Well, he walked. Danny more floated, than anything. "His seventeenth year... of being a halfa?" Because that's the only thing he could have meant... Danny was already twenty one, if he died in one timeline at seventeen...

"In that timeline, things didn't..." Timekeeper gave a quiet sigh, shoulders dropping. "His body couldn't handle the power his ghost half gave him. You helped at one point with your alchemy, and things worked out in due time, but... He could only handle three years of those powers before they broke his body down, and made it weak enough to fall in battle. He came back as a ghost, but still...the stress was unbelievable."

Andrew nodded, his hands twitching at his sides. The moment he got back, he was holding onto Danny tightly, and never letting him go, college classes be damned. "I see..."

"I tell you this because while this universe may not follow the same course, he still holds more power than he should in his state... Overexerting himself, like he did in his last fight, is what caused his mind to become fragmented as such. If you weren't his mate, and if you weren't here... He wouldn't have woken up from this. He knows he needs to be careful, but that need is often outweighed by his need to protect others, and do what's right. He may not break down in this timeline but... I believe there is still the chance of things going wrong, if not careful."

"I'll take care of you, no matter what." He turned to Danny with a sad smile, letting his thumb trace a scar on the other's cheek. "I won't let anyone hurt you, again." Timekeeper gave a sigh, leaning into the touch as he gave a sad smile.

"You still blame yourself for when you were controlled, don't you? You know that wasn't your fault...not when nothing could have prevented it."

"That's no excuse."

"...You really are too good to us." Andrew blinked as Danny vanished from in front of him, once again left alone in an endless maze before he slowly heard the sound of...arguing? Walking towards the sounds, he raised an eyebrow at what he saw.

"No! That's a stupid idea! Don't you dare try that!"

"What else am I supposed to try?! We need to make sure he's safe!"

"...The temptation to walk in the other direction is overwhelming," Andrew quietly muttered, resisting the urge to flinch back as both noticed him.

The two flew at Andrew, one literally and one figuratively, tackling him in a hug.

"Andrew! I was just telling him-"

"And I'm sure you'll agree with me-"

"No he won't!"

He should have just stayed an assassin. He should have just stayed in England, and kept following orders. But no. He had to be _noble_ and go to _America_ to find a new start and end up meeting _this brat_. Ugh...changing from such serious things to something as ridiculous as this...he was beginning to see why Danny had been so emotionally drained when his own mind had been broken up.

"...I need you both to be quiet right now because I am already at my limit and listening to both of you blame each other is not something I feel like dealing with. You." Pointing to the ghostly Danny with blue eyes, and wearing a white cape, he raised an eyebrow. "Explain."

"I was telling him that we should look for you at the other areas because you might need help, and he said it was stupid." Andrew nodded, turning to the other Danny - who was dressed like Danny would be when going to work, with bright green eyes.

"You. Explain."

"We _can't_ go to the other areas, right now, though, so it _was_ a stupid idea!"

"Both of you. Names."

The more ghostly one pointed to the other. "He's the Fun Danny."

"He's the Super Danny." Oh god no. He had _heard_ about that horror story from the others, when Danny had possessed the _bright_ idea to separate his human and ghost half and it had turned into these two running around.

"...I... I feel like I'm doomed..." He was dealing with two Dannys. Twin Dannys, judging by the single gray scarf wrapped around _both_ of their necks. This...this was so wrong. He felt like he was facing his death all over because while he _loved_ Danny very dearly _there were two of the little monsters in front of him._

"Yeah, I mean," Super started.

"You kinda are," His opposite finished for him. They both smiled brightly at Andrew.

"...You both are pure evil, aren't you? Don't answer that, I already know the answer." Right. Steady breaths, Riter. This disaster of a day wasn't over yet. "Do you two know how to get to the center of this godforsaken maze?"

They slowly stood, the two Danny's holding each other's hand. "Normally, we can, but-"

"We can't, right now. The best we can do is-"

"Get you to the next area."

"That'll be helpful in itself," Andrew smiled, gesturing for the two to lead on. "Why are you two together, anyways? So far all of the others have been separated."

Super flew up to wrap himself around Andrew's shoulders, whereas Fun clung to Andrew's hand, cuddling into his side. Fun began, "Well, after the incident, we realized something."

"We're really a lot similar."

"And it just... doesn't feel right."

"Being away from each other is almost like being away from you."

"So far while being in here, mes chers, I've noticed that while your reactions are different, your personalities are rather the same in some areas. Acting adorable, being one of them."

"Andrrreeeewwww," Super whined next to his ear.

"You're the literal worst."

"Definitely the same - including the frequent misuse of the word 'literal'."

"And you're definitely the same, after all the terrible stuff you probably saw."

"Of course he is, he's super strong. Shame on you, disbeliever."

"Oh, I'll show you shame, you demon!"

"Bring it on, pal!"

Andrew gave a sigh, unhooking Super from around his shoulders and pulling him around to give him a sweet kiss, doing the same to Fun a moment later. "Mes chers, we really do need to be waking you up, so if you can please argue later, that would be most helpful."

Fun gave a dazed smile with a light blush, while Super's blush was much more prominent. "That... That sounds like a good idea."

"Yeah, come on, we're almost to the barrier." They led him forward, finally releasing his hand and retaking their own.

"Here we are."

"If you ever wanna come back, we'll be waiting here." Fun said, with a wink.

Super gasped, "Blasphemous, you are."

"Oh, as if you weren't thinking the same thing!"

"Au revoir, mes chers," Andrew smiled, disappearing around the corner and hearing the friendly bickering trail off into silence. That had been...interesting. Tilting his head at hearing the sound of running, he looked around. The sound could only be coming from another Danny so... Thinking on it, he probably shouldn't have been so surprised when he was full out tackled to the ground. He had become rather used to the action soon after meeting Danny, after all.

"Wow, sorry about that, Andy, guess I'm just falling for ya!"

"I knew it. I _knew_ this one was coming." He had called this before the mess began. Sighing, and sitting up, he blinked at seeing the small Danny in his lap. This was by far the youngest he had seen so far, and couldn't be older than twelve - which explained the humor - and he was wearing... "Are you...are you wearing braces?"

"Guess you shoulda braced yourself for that one!" Humor giggled from his seat. Andrew slowly stood up, carefully holding the smaller in his arms.

"...You are utterly adorable." Twelve year old Danny with terrible puns and braces, and a laugh that didn't stop. This...he wanted to keep this one. Puns be damned because _adorable_.

"Pffft... udders... They're like cow butts."

"Definitely twelve," Andrew nodded, glancing around the maze. "Do you know which direction we need to be going?"

He gave a shrug with a smile. "I dunno! Let's explore! Not that we don't do enough of that at Vidya, of course." Andrew paused at the wording, slowly looking down at Danny, as if still processing the words.

"...Humor... Oh, no... You have to be kidding me..." It wasn't just puns. It was _those_ jokes.

He grinned, "I am!" Maybe it wasn't too late to go back and find Super and Fun. He'd rather deal with that than _this_ menace of a child.

"Do you have any idea how to get to the center?"

"Well, I bet you know how to get to my center." They were never speaking of his moment again. This was worse than _Randy's_ jokes. His mate was more shameless than _Randy_.

"You are far too much..."

"That's what she said. Or, in this case, he. I like that one, better."

"Have you no innocence..." This child was a menace, and he felt sorry for the others for having to put up with him. Mostly Jasmine. She probably had to deal with his jokes far too long.

"Nope. You made sure of that."

"This would be much more amusing if you weren't twelve and wearing braces..." He absently noticed his scarf was tied around his upper right leg, and the clothing was just barely fitting him. He also couldn't seem to stop smiling. "As it is, these jokes are making me feel extremely guilty."

"Nah, don't be like that, you'll meet him later! Besides, my jokes are amazing. You just have no sense of... humor."

"Lord on High give me strength..." And wasn't that a new one, asking for strength from a god he hadn't believed in since he was this Danny's age. "Please tell me you know where the next version of you is." Because he wasn't sure how much longer he could handle these jokes.

He waved vaguely at the maze. "Somewhere that way." This was going to be harder than he thought. Of all the times to need- Hold on a second... Shifting Danny into one arm, he used his free hand to dig around his pockets, finally pulling out a plastic wrapped cookie, holding it in front of Danny.

"Find the way out of here, you get this cookie."

"Woo! Go that way!" He pointed at an entrance of the maze. "That cookie better not be crumby."

"Should have seen that one coming, and no, it's not." Handing the cookie over, he shook his head, small smile on his face anyways. "Here's the cookie, you little monster." Readjusting his hold on the child - because he really _was_ adorable - he headed down the hall he had pointed out. "Tell me when we get close to the barrier so you don't get hurt, okay?"

"How'd you know I'd get hurt?"

"Considering how Fun Danny reacted to the idea of Super Danny going off and looking for me, I figured that crossing between areas might cause you all some form of pain. Am I wrong?"

"Awww, you care!"

"Oui, oui, just eat your cookie, mon cher," Andrew sighed, noticing that there weren't any splits off the path, and it was just a main road. "I suppose the more stable the emotion, the more stable the area, yes?"

"I'll show you stable."

"Try one that makes sense, mon cher." Adorable small child...he really did want to keep him. Even if he had to deal with the dirty jokes.

"Your face makes sense."

"Oui, oui, would you like another cookie?" The solution to every cranky child. Cookies.

"Does a penguin swim?"

"A simple yes would have sufficed, you know," Andrew snorted, already digging out another cookie and handing it to him. "Are we almost near the barrier?"

"Mm, almost." Andrew nodded, walking a few more minutes before feeling the mood of the halls start to change into something else. Slowing his speed, he carefully set Danny down, making sure he was okay.

"Try to avoid getting into trouble, will you?"

"I would promise, but, I mean, trouble always happens around you."

"Says the one who attracts the supernatural like magnets." Standing up, he continued down the maze, glancing back to make sure the younger Danny was safely on the other side of the barrier.

"If I'm a magnet, I guess that explains why I'm so attractive!" He laughed as he ran back to his area, munching on the cookie as he did so.

"I knew that one would be here, at least," Andrew sighed, perking up at hearing running again. Hopefully this time he wouldn't be tackled.

"Mission control, we are in space. And it's awesome! Woooo!" A tiny Danny ran around a clear area, holding a rocket ship in the air as he did so. As he ran, his scruffy hair fell in front of his face, causing him to flip his hair every couple of seconds. From what Andrew could tell, he was wearing overalls, and was damn near close to tripping over his untied shoelaces. Finally, as he made a loop, he saw Andrew and gasped. "Andy!"

"Aw..." He wasn't going to lie, he was heavily tempted to keep this Danny forever, because...oh man. This kid was the most adorable and perfect thing he had ever seen. He also might be a _little_ obsessed with his mate, considering he could feel his obsession rearing full force. Just a little. "You're adorable..."

The Danny grinned, running over and throwing himself at Andrew's legs, clinging to them. "Andy! I haven't seen you yet! But now I am! And you're here! Andy!" Andrew wasted no time in scooping the small child into his arms, cuddling him close and pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"And I'm very glad I get to see you as well." Yep. No denying it. His mate was definitely one of his obsessions but _come on_. A nice, cute, _innocent_ Danny who hadn't had to deal with ghosts, or any of the troubles that had been dealt to him over the years. He was the cutest thing...he even had his scarf wrapped around his ankle - which he was surprised the boy hadn't tripped over it yet.

"As much as I'd love to stay." And he really, _really_ would. "Do you know how to get to the next area? I really do need to wake you up. Too long like this could be bad." As much as he enjoyed spending time with these versions of his mate, and _learning_ about him, he was more worried about what would happen if he didn't wake the other up soon.

"Uh huh! Go that way!" He pressed a kiss to Andrew's cheek as he pointed, before cuddling into the older's chest. "I really really like seeing you and I'm glad you're here! It's like an adventure! We should go on an adventure! Can we go on a space adventure, Andy?"

Oh man, he just wanted to stay and spoil this Danny endlessly and- Right there. Obsession. Focus, Riter. "As much as I would love to, mon petit, we really do need to get going. Maybe another time, okay?" As soon as he got back, he was going to do everything possible to see _this_ side of his mate.

Innocence held up his hand, with his pinkie finger extended. "Promise?"

Shifting the child around in his grip, he wrapped his own pinkie around the other's, small smile on his face. "I promise, mon petit." Oh, he was definitely keeping this promise to his Danny- They hadn't been to that star gazing field in a while... He was sure Danny wouldn't mind a little surprise kidnapping in the dead of night.

"Yay! I get to go on an adventure with Andy! Woo!" Beginning to walk the direction Danny had pointed out, Andrew returned his attention to the child in his arms.

"Do you know who I'll be meeting next?"

"Mhm! Trust! He's really neat! Normally, we play all sorts of games! Sometimes he even lets me be king!" He bet Prince found that ironically amusing. Trust, though... There had been a Trust in his mind, so this would be at least somewhat familiar. Although knowing Danny, it was bound to end in far more trouble than he could expect.

"Do you know how far away the barrier is for you?"

"We're almost there." Andrew paused in confusion, looking to him with a raised eyebrow.

"Danny, we've only been walking for a few minutes, if that."

Innocence shrugged. "Well, yeah. But we're still almost there." If that was true...then this area had to be rather small, which meant...

He was clinging to Danny when he woke up and never letting go. It was settled, at this point. "I...see."

"Mhm! I gotta go now!" He pressed another kiss to Andrew's cheek before scrambling out of his arms and running back. "Bye bye, Andy!"

"Definitely taking him to the star gazing field." Sighing, and feeling slight guilt about leaving such a small Danny all by himself, he continued onwards, noticing the maze walls seemed to have grown more complex. "Trust, hm..."

"Who's there?!" A new Danny, in a white hazmat suit jumped out from behind the corner. "Oh, it's just you. Hi, Andrew."

"You must be Trust, then, yes?"

"Yeah." He walked over towards Andrew, grabbing his hand and pulling him along. "It's not that safe here, right now. But don't worry, I'll get you to the next area. Trust me."

"I always have, mon cher," Andrew smiled warmly, entwining his fingers with Danny's. "I assume there's not many emotions left?"

"I don't know how many you've been to before me, but you look like you know what's going on, so probably not many. Who all have you been to?"

"Well, I joyfully met Dan first," Andrew rolled his eyes, thinking back to his encounters.

"Joyfully? I didn't think you'd enjoy it." Andrew paused, finally giving a sigh.

"No use for sarcasm, then... I wouldn't say I enjoyed it so much as it was an interesting encounter." Hate and Anger, hm... Maybe that and something else... "After that, I encountered Protection, Prince, Fear, Obsession, Denial, Love, Timekeeper, Super and Fun, Humor, Innocence, and now, you."

"That was a lot of them. You only have three-ish left."

"Ish?"

"Three not including me, four including me."

"Ah. If I may ask, why are you carrying ghost hunting equipment?" He also noticed the other's free hand was twitching towards his guns every few seconds, the same nervous tick he and his brother had with their own weapons.

"Cause Mom and Dad want me to be a hunter, and they taught me everything I know."

"I...see. I'm actually rather glad they had you take an interest in ghosts...otherwise we might have never met." He couldn't imagine his life without Danny in it anymore.

"Right? See, my parents always know what's best!"

"They certainly _want_ what's best for you. I know you don't like to think about it, but...do you think you'll ever consider telling them about your being half ghost?"

"Yeah. I wanna tell them. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?" Andrew held his tongue, considering he could think of quite a few things that could be deemed 'the worst'.

"And yet you haven't? I know secrets are your obsession-" Something he hadn't been too pleased to learn about, since that put Danny under even _more_ stress. "-so would you really be able to tell them? Or want to?"

"Well, _I_ want to, but I'm not sure about _him_. I think he wants to, really, but..."

"Obsessions are hard things to handle, sometimes," Andrew noted, squeezing Danny's hand. Considering how his life had been, his own obsession...could have been much different.

"I know. But you help a lot." And it was true. There was so much Andrew knew about him that _no one else_ did. Because he trusted him more than anyone else.

"I'm glad I can help you, mon cher." It was certainly nice to hear, considering sometimes he felt like he only made things worse, and more complicated, for Danny. "So I'm assuming I'll be able to wake you up soon, yes?"

"Probably. I hope so. I don't know if I will wake up." Right. Trust. Trusting him with fears and worries. Danny wasn't going to leave his sight for days after this. He would make sure of it.

"You will."

"Okay. By the way, we're here."

"I'm curious, what happens when you try to go through a barrier? Do you merely get pushed back?"

"We get shocked. And I mean _we_. We all feel it if one of us gets shocked." Considering how fidgety and scared some of these Dannys were, he had a feeling that had been terri- Wait... Oh, no...

"Danny...when you say 'all'..."

"Mhm. _All_ of us. Even Fear. Even him." That would explain why Fear had been so frightened when he had first found him - and why Prince had directed him to Fear first. But if that was true that all of them felt it, then...

"So you're telling me your main self is locked away in some secluded room with no idea of what's happening and is being periodically shocked?" Yep. There was the panic starting to rise. Right there. Panic and obsession.

"Mhm. So, are you gonna go meet the next one? Or just stand here?" Of course he wasn't just going- Right. Trust. No sense of sarcasm.

"Three left, yes? That at least means we can deal with this soon..." Heading down the hallway that they had stopped in front of, Andrew paused, looking back, finally noticing the gray scarf was wrapped around his neck, but both ends were resting against his back. A lot of the personality seemed to be conveyed in how they wore the scarf, now that he thought about it. "Are you going to be alright?"

"Mhm. Go meet Guilt. You're almost done."

He walked on again, pausing and turning back around, "Guil-" Seeing that Trust had disappeared, he sighed, and continued on alone. "This should be... incredibly worrying."

A quiet muttering was heard from around the corner, a Danny finally appearing around the corner who looked like he was around eighteen and perfectly human - save for the swirling green and blue eyes he had. The clothes, while being his own, were far too loose on him, and his scarf was tied around his neck in a tight knot. The man was hunched over, hands clutching his hair as he flinched and mumbled things under his breath.

"All my fault. Always my fault. Releasing the ghosts. Ruining their lives. Killing Andrew. Forming Dan. Pressing that _stupid_ button. Everything my fault. All of it. Everyone put in the hospital because of the fights. Every life I've _ruined_. Everything. All my fault. All of it. My fault. My fault. Always my fault."

Andrew rushed over, lightly holding onto Danny's wrists. "Danny, Danny, Danny, it's alright, mon cher. Nothing's your fault. Some things just happen, and you can't always change them, it's not your fault."

Guilt finally seemed to notice Andrew was in front of him, jerking back in shock and skittering away to where he was pressed against one of the walls, eyes wet, and voice wavering. "Even you being here is my fault...if I had been more careful like you told me to, if I had paid attention to what was happening better, if I had done something different- It's always my fault. Every time- It just..." Trailing off, he pressed himself against the wall even more, nervously edging away from Andrew as he shook his head. "Let's...let's just get you out of here."

"Danny... do you remember what I told you about what if's?"

"...Not really...sorry." The last word was said quietly, Guilt's gaze now trained on the floor.

"It's alright, I didn't expect you to. What if's are the unnecessary love triangles of the human mind. Spend too much time on them, and they cause anti-character development." Guilt quietly nodded, inching away from Andrew more, finally speaking a few moments later.

"C-Come on. You'll be out soon if we go this way- Or at least to the next area." Nervously glancing up at Andrew, and then back down to the ground, he began walking, shoulders hunched again.

Andrew raised his hand to stroke Danny's hair, his heart breaking at the flinch away. Still, he followed through, and lightly scratched at Danny's scalp. "Please don't be scared of me, mon cher..."

"No! I'm not scared of you! I just..." Voice going quiet again, Guilt shook his head, hands clenching his sleeves tightly as he closed his eyes. "I just... I'm not scared of you, I just-" Cutting himself off, he fell quiet again. "Why do you keep putting up with me when I cause so much trouble..."

"Well, one, because I caused as much trouble when I was alive." He smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of Danny's head. "And two, because I'm not putting up with you. That would imply I don't want you. Danny, mon cher, I'm in love with you. Nothing could ever make me want to leave, no matter how troublesome you may be."

Guilt slowly nodded after a moment's pause, fingers moving to instead clutch Andrew's shirt as he tugged him along. "You really are too good to us, Andy..." Pausing to give Andrew the lightest of kisses, he nervously backed away again, small blush on his face. "Just head down this hall, okay? You'll be out soon."

Andrew nodded, giving him a smile. "It really isn't your fault, mon cher. I could never truly blame you for anything." Watching Guilt nod and disappear around another corner, Andrew sighed and continued on his own path. He knew Danny put up with a lot of stress, and had dealt with so much over the years, but... He had never known it was still this bad.

Another Danny walked around the corner, looking up as he blinked. "Hi, Andrew. How are you?"

"Certainly tired," Andrew hummed, studying the Danny in front of him. He looked like he did when he was sixteen, although his gaze was a little absent as he kept looking at everything, and his scarf was tied around his upper right arm. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell me who you are?"

"Clueless." He smiled as he skipped over to Andrew, grabbing his arm and looping it in his.

"...I am not surprised. I really am not." If there was a side for puns, then of course there would be a side for Danny's cluelessness. "Can you show me how to get to the last emotion? I really need to wake you up...especially after hearing about those shocks..." Most likely, Danny was in the dark and had no _idea_ what was going on. And if he felt those shocks...

"Mhm. Come on, it's this way. So besides tired, what's up?"

"Emotionally drained." And, hm, he recalled Danny saying much the same when meeting _his_ last emotion. He had a much better idea of what his mate had gone through that day, after this adventure.

"Yeah, that makes sense. Do you know who you're meeting next?"

"No, I don't. I know he's the only one left, however, according to Trust." Clueless, hm... Made sense as to why he asked so many questions, then.

"Hm. Okay." They walked in silence before Clueless spoke up, again. "I'm not stupid."

"I never said, or assumed, you were. I was more thinking along the lines that you're inquisitive," Andrew lowered their arms to where their hands were clasped instead, shooting Danny a small smile. "I've tutored you for years, remember? I know just how smart you are, cluelessness and all."

Clueless smiled. "I think that because I'm Clueless, people think it means I'm stupid. But I'm not. I mean, ignorance is nicer, when the truth is as bad as we've seen."

"Wise words. I can see how that misconception can be made, but that just gives you more room to surprise them with how smart you really are, oui?"

Clueless stood on his tiptoes, giving Andrew a peck. "Yeah. Well, we're here." Hm, only a few minutes walk... Clueless had a rather small area then- He was rather proud of that fact. "What's that smile for?"

Giving a chuckle, Andrew shook his head, giving Danny a kiss of his own. "Rien, rien, mon cher. Just proud of how much you've grown over the years, I suppose. And amused by how much you've stayed the same."

He wrinkled his nose with a smile as he waved. "Bye, Andrew."

"Au revoir, mon cher." As Danny left, he turned, walking through the maze. One left... and he had no clue who this could be.

"Salut, mon ange. Having fun, today?"

Seeing a Danny similar to the one he knew and loved, not including the pair of glasses this one was wearing, he glared, though also gave a smile. "You little shit."

"Hardly my fault if this happened- Okay, so being one of the more dominant emotions it's _probably_ a bit of my fault- You know, I'm blaming you too. I don't know how, but the blame is on you." A ghostly tail flicked in amusement, even with the man in his human form - although while one eye was blue, the other was green. A white stripe went through his hair as well, with his scarf wrapped around his neck much like he usually had.

"More dominant emotion, hm? Then who are?"

"Aw, come on, Andy, aren't you even gonna guess? Where's the fun in not guessing, I ask you. There is no fun. None at all." Warm smile on his face, the Danny flew over to Andrew, hovering in front of him. "Bet you can't guess right."

Andrew didn't hesitate into pulling him into a hug. "I'd really rather not, mon cher. God forbid the day I ever again have to deal with sixteen of you hellions. And that's not including you put all back together."

"Wow, this day must have been fun for you, huh?" Quietly snickering, he adjusted their position to where Andrew was tiredly leaning against him before he ran a hand through his hair, much like the older did for him. "Fine, take the fun out of it. I'm Relaxation."

"So, your version of contentment, then?" He could have laughed. Of course Danny would have a counterpart to his own personality piece.

"Well, I mean, we _are_ mates. It's to be expected we're alike in things like this, ya know," Relaxation huffed, kissing Andrew's cheek. "Now, you get to play the fun game of recounting what you learned about each me! Doesn't that sound lovely?"

He groaned. "Can we at least sit? I have a feeling we'll be here for a while, since _someone_ needed to make things so much more complicated."

"It's me, Andy. Complication goes hand in hand with these things. And yes, we can sit. Come on." Taking Andrew's hand, he tugged him towards a small corner of the maze that was similar to Prince's, only instead of ice and snow, it was covered with purple and blue pillows of varying sizes. Pushing Andrew onto the center pile, he settled down on top of him a few moments later, sigh of content leaving him. "You're so much more comfy~"

"Are you sure you aren't some incarnation of a cat?"

"Well, I mean, there was that one time with Desiree..." Relaxation hummed, sighing as he settled down in Andrew's lap and completely going limp. "Yes. This is nice. Now. Let's recount your fun adventure."

"Well, first there was... _him_."

"Yeah. Figures with our shitty lucky you'd get to meet Dan first... You look fine, minus the ruffled hair and clothing, so I'm guessing he didn't get any blasts in...still, okay?"

"Mm..." He mumbled vaguely as he closed his eyes. While he was physically fine, seeing that much anger and hatred from his sweet Danny had certainly left him shaken.

"We really didn't want you to see him..." Stretching his arms out, Relaxation absently grabbed one of Andrew's, tugging it over and linking fingers with him. "Learn anything about Dan that you didn't already know? Besides the fact he's a psychotic bastard?"

"...You have quite a lot of self control for someone so young."

"...I'm one year younger than you. Seriously. I'm not that young." He was legally able to drink, thank you very much. "It probably counts, though. Even though _I'm not that young_. Who did you meet after Dan- Let me guess, Protection jumped in?"

"Yes, he dragged me off while I tried to invite Dan to a tea party." Relaxation went shockingly quiet, a few moments passing before he let out a loud laugh that had him almost rolling off of the other's lap.

"Tell me you did not _actually_ say that?!"

"Alright. I didn't actually say that." He smiled. He was allowed to be sarcastic, too.

"Wow. The sarcasm in your voice there. Truly chilling, mon ange. Truly. I'm terrified of it- What did you learn about Protection, though? Besides he has a hero complex. I mean, we all know I have a hero complex. It's really obvious at this point."

"Glad to know you're accepting it. I was rather surprised Protection had barely anything ghostly about him. As though it were only his human side." Relaxation gave a light shrug, nervously running a hand through the loose strands of hair that wasn't tied back in a ponytail.

"I mean, you probably figured that all out, but, yeah. The protection thing...is kind of a human thing, instead of ghostly. Um, but, yeah. Who did you meet after Protection- Because that counts as a thing learned. Probably."

"...I didn't know you knew of your... position, in the Ghost Zone."

"Well. That means you met Prince- Bit of a pretentious bastard, if you ask me," Relaxation snorted, absently cuddling closer to Andrew. "I... I've known about it for a while... Clockwork kind of gives vague hints to try and get me used to the idea, but I sort of pieced it together from what I've overheard, and what I read about it in Vidya. I just... I'd rather not think about it, I guess. It's kind of...a lot to take in."

"I know. And all of us will be there to help you shoulder the burden. Including your parents, once you tell them your secret."

"Yeah, I guess- ...Okay, shelving that one for later, cause you've been stuck in here long enough, and you know the drill about this kind of thing. So, who was after the high and mighty one that is Prince?"

"Fear." He gave a light tug to Danny's ponytail. "You know, you're not the first to wish death for yourself."

"Noooo, I don't wanna have this conversation either," Relaxation whined, rolling around to bury his face in Andrew's shirt, huffing at seeing he had knocked his own glasses off in the process.

"We _will_ be having this conversation, but as you've said, we've been stuck here for far too long as it is."

"Uugghh. Stupid overprotective writer boyfriend. Oh hey- How did Fear react to you? I'm sort of curious, since it's you."

Andrew gave a smile at that. "He smiled."

"Holy shit man...it's times like these I remember how head over heels in love with you I am because _holy shit_ he does not smile. Ever. At all. That is- No. Black magic. I claim you are using black magic!"

"You're acting like Randall, again, mon cher."

"Shut up! He's a corruptive influence and I am an impressionable child!" Pausing, he sighed. "I just realized how stupid that sounded... Alright, who was after that, if I even dare ask. Also, where did my glasses fall to?"

Andrew grabbed them, handed them to his mate, and continued. "Obsession. I don't think it's hard to tell what I learned while there."

"In my absolute defense, I was planning on telling you about that...eventually. You know, in time-" Pausing, he gave a snicker. "Aha, time... Okay, okay, so, who was after the emotionally tiring Obsession?"

"Denial. That was painful."

"Yeaaah, we're working on that. Apparently, so far, the only thing he _can't_ deny is, well, you probably figured that out. Also, what'd ya learn from him? This is a trip of learning!" Rolling over again, he spread his hands out to form a mock rainbow, eyes wide. "Knowledge is power, after all. The more you know, the more you grow."

"I learned that if you don't shut up, I'll pull on your hair." Relaxation paused, narrowing his eyes.

"You wouldn't dare- Ow! Fine, fine! You evil heartless Riter!"

"Ruthless Riters, indeed."

"You are cruel, mon ange. Terribly cruel. Now, who was after, uh, who were we on... Denial! Right. Who after Denial?" The downside of ponytails...they could be used against him and now his scalp hurt. Evil Riter. Andrew gave him a wicked smirk, breaking up his thoughts. "...What the hell happened and why do I feel like I am going to regret asking..."

"I met Love."

"Aw shit..." Relaxation groaned, blush already on his face. "Alright, how bad- Aw man, don't tell me he showed you the book!"

"Oh, I think you should be worrying about more than the book... I didn't know you were so frustrated, mon cher."

"Wait..what do yo- No...noooo." Blush even worse, Relaxation shook his head and rolled off Andrew's lap, trying to bury himself under a group of pillows. "Nooooo. I don't wanna know. Noooo."

"We'll just shelve that for later, hm?"

"You are a horrible and evil person, Andy. Just _horrible_ ," Relaxation whined, refusing to come out from under his pillows. "Is that why you're clothes are so ruffled..."

"Well, you were rather eager..." The whine grew worse. "Why is it he threw the book over the wall?"

Peeking his head up, he raised an eyebrow, "What? He's more protective over that thing than the scarf sometimes. Did you try to read the part he added on, or something?"

"No, I read that. I tried reading more, and he snatched the book from me, and threw it away."

"More? The only thing-" Relaxation paused, gaze becoming considering. "I could either help us all in a self sacrificing move...or embarrass myself completely and be forced to flee in shame... Nope. Yeah. Not gonna say anything. I'm not that self sacrificing."

"It couldn't have been anything that bad, Danny. You're acting like you were trying to hide a wedding magazine or-" He cut himself off at his words, groaning as Danny went back to hiding under the pillows. How could he have not realized it sooner? Danny was more of a romantic than he was, of course he'd be expecting... Well, nonetheless, he'd definitely be fixing that soon. "Would you like it if we moved on to the next one?"

"...Yes..." Relaxation mumbled, head poking out from under the mass of pillows he had buried himself under. "I mean, at least Love didn't manage to get your clothes off of you, aha, right?" Andrew stayed silent, giving him the smile of the cat that ate the canary. "...I... Of all the times to want Denial here... Just... Wow. Yeah. Rest assured I will be embarrassed over that when the memories come back. Just. Next. Next emotion. Or thing. Or just. Mercy."

"You've known your time powers have been growing, haven't you?" There was a hint of betrayal to the tone.

"I mean...I thought they might be..." Relaxation mumbled, hiding under the pillows more, and avoiding Andrew's gaze. "I just... It's already enough dealing with all the secrets and the fact I'm supposed to be the next _King_ -" Hopefully Andrew hadn't noticed the hitch in his voice there. Even if he _was_ Relaxation, there was only so much he could do to keep stress away. "-and then realizing I have time powers and that they might be growing...I just...panicked... And so I did the same thing I do with everything. I kept it hidden and pretended it wasn't there. Out of sight out of mind, right?"

"But if you tell me, then it's possible I can help you." He cupped Danny's face, leaning their foreheads together. "I will never treat you differently because of things like that. And I'll always do my best to help you with it. So please do try to tell me these things in the future, oui?"

"...I'll...yeah. Alright. You might have to track me down and force the information out of me here and there. I am rather good at hiding things, after all," Relaxation huffed, slight blush on his face. "Alright, so you met Timekeeper, then. Who was after that Clockwork wannabe?"

Andrew heaved a heavy sigh as he muttered. "There were _two_ of you demons..."

"Oh god I'm so sorry... It was Super and Fun, wasn't it? Oh man, you poor thing. Would you like a hug? I feel like I should offer hugs."

"You often find those nice, so why not?"

"Hugs are nice. Remind me to give you more, cause you always spoil me with them, and you need comfort too, cause you hide when you're hurting." Phasing out of the pillows, he tackled Andrew down onto them to where they were laying down, cuddling him close and tucking him under his chin. "The hugs shall make you feel better- Still have to say what you learned, though."

"That no matter what changes about you, I can always find something that's the same."

"Oh my god, dude, I'm too tired for writer knowledge right now," Relaxation groaned, sigh ruffling Andrew's hair. "Why can't you use simple people words. Drunk words. Drunk college student words."

"Those... those were simple words. Do you think I'm not tired, you hellion? You didn't have to go through all that."

"Nope, I was stuck at the end here with no freaking clue what was going on and getting shocked every few minutes cause everyone in here is stubborn as fuck and _you weren't here_ and- Right. Wow. Panic. Okay. Focus- I blame you the fact I'm not focused. You being here is making everything blur together- But, yeah. Okay. Lesson accepted or whatever. Who was next?"

Andrew shuddered. "Humor."

"Oh god he's worse than the twin demons... He did the dirty jokes, didn't he?"

"So many..."

"I'm so sorry. From that one you probably learned I have terrible humor- And braces. I had braces when I was that young- Remind me to show you pictures. I am an adorable evil monster. After Humor?"

Andrew hugged him closely with a smile. "Innocence. I quite liked that one."

"Yeah, I figured you might," Relaxation snorted, shaking his head. "Let me guess, you tried to feed him a cookie? Cause I can see you feeding one of those little demons a cookie."

"Actually, I gave two to Humor. I didn't think to give one to Innocence."

"For shame," Relaxation mock scolded, laughter in his voice. "Good way to get Humor to shut up, though... So, what'd ya learn from the little tiny itty bitty me?"

His smile became more sad. "How small the area is... but that means you still have the ability to act like that. I'd very much rather see more of that."

"Considering how I act around you, I wouldn't be surprised if that happened," Relaxation snorted, comfortably curled around Andrew now, eyes closed tiredly as his tail wound itself around the other's waist. "You seem to be the only one who I can act like myself around...whoever that is..."

"I thought we've been over this. You're Danny, the halfa who's worried about the family and friends he loves and adores, and you're my mate."

"Sometimes I guess I need to be reminded of that," he hummed, clutching Andrew a little tighter. "Who did you meet after Innocence?"

"Trust... You seem to trust your parents more than you let on."

"I _do_ trust them, I just..." Trailing off, he gave a shrug. "I don't know...I guess it's been so long with me keeping the secret, with me _picturing_ everything that could go wrong... I guess I just keep psyching myself out."

"Well, then I'll just have to be there to remind you of everything that could go right, hm?"

"You are the best mate ever and go to next emotion before I start crying. Because I will. You will have to deal with a crying Relaxation and that is just weird."

Andrew gave a light laugh, reaching up and running his hand through Danny's hair, carefully undoing the ponytail so he could more easily play with it. "Guilt."

"Oo...bet that one had to be fun."

"Hm, indeed. I'm sad to say that it wasn't completely unexpected." Relaxation winced, giving a light shrug from where they were laying, thankful he could more easily avoid Andrew's gaze.

"Dare I ask what you learned from him, then?"

"That even at your worst, I can never love you more or less than I do now." Silence fell over them for a few moments, finally broken by a quiet sniffle. Andrew looked up with worry. "Danny?"

"What? No. Nothing! It's fine! Perfectly fine!" The tears were clear in his voice. "You've just gone and made _Relaxation_ cry. Have you no shame, Andy?" Stupid evil ruthless Riter. "I just keep forgetting how ridiculously in love I am with you, is all. It's nothing. Subject change. Or something. I dunno."

"Well, the last one before you was Clueless."

"Ten bucks that you saw that coming," Relaxation laughed, scrubbing at his cheeks. Leave it to _Andrew_ to make the most calm and mellow of them all to cry from such sweet words. "Everybody _does_ call me clueless for a reason, you know."

"Hm, yes..." Grabbing Danny by the collar, he pulled him down, kissing at the drying trail of tears. "Though that doesn't equate to idiocy."

"Didn't I say something about smaller words," Relaxation huffed, blushing at the kisses. "You are a sap. A ridiculous sap."

"And then there's you, the one that should be calm and able to handle anything, and yet cries at sweet words."

"Ruuuude. Hardly my fault if I'm weak to you. In fact, it's your fault. I'm blaming you for this mess. All of it."

Andrew rolled his eyes. "Yes, I told you to go jump into that huge fight. That's exactly what happened."

"You are a terrible person deep down. You evil, evil Riter. Just pure and utter evil." Even as he spoke, he cuddled closer to Andrew, wrapping around him. "You still have to say what you learned about me, you know- And the crying thing doesn't count. Has to be actual substantial thing that like- I don't know. Furthers our relationship or something? It's been a weird day, man."

"Well... you have the most... familiarity of you all. You consider yourself more Danny than any of the others."

"Mhm, that's because I'm who he _wants_ to be," Relaxation sighed, shaking his head. "Didn't you notice I'm firmly between ghost and human? I'm... Here I'm who I want to be. Able to switch between the two worlds, and feel _normal_. That... It doesn't last, but it'd be nice if it did."

"That... I'll find a way to make it last." He tugged on the scarf with a smile. "Each of you is wearing this differently."

"Yeah, well, you had your rooms. We had our appearance and way we wore our scarves- I take it you noticed just _how_ some of them were worn... Like with Obsession and Fear."

"Yes, I did. It's an indicator of your personalities." Relaxation nodded, finally floating up and pulling Andrew with him.

"Now that you've figured all that out, you can get to your Danny, who's right down the hall. Fair bit of warning, he's going to remember everything as soon as you touch him. Second warning, there were a lot of shocks. A lot. So, you know, be prepared for that- Cause. Yeah. I at least know this place. He's in a small dark room. So. Panic. Lots of panic."

Andrew nodded. "Well, if he's remembered _everything_ , I'm sure I can help him. Or distract him. Either one."

"I...I don't want to know what distraction you're talking about. I'm claiming plausible deniability on this one. Yep. That is what I'm doing. Yes. Shoo. Go wake us up, you know, before some other horrible disaster pops up. Like Prince and Timekeeper tag teaming lecturing us. So. Yeah. Your Danny. Go."

Andrew smiled and kissed him on the temple. "You're all my Danny."

"Stop that. Stop making me emotional, you Ruthless Riter," Relaxation huffed, small smile on his face anyways as he dragged Andrew down the hall to an exit that led to pure darkness. "Remember that I do this because I love you." With that, Andrew was promptly shoved in.

"Brat," Andrew quietly muttered to himself, standing up and lightly brushing himself off. It wasn't so much _dark_ as it was...empty. By the time he scanned the room, he noticed a small figure curled up in the furthest corner. "Danny?"

His head shot up as he looked around. "Andrew?" He hiccuped as he looked through the darkness. Andrew flew over in a flash, kneeling in front of Danny and carefully checking him over.

"Oui, mon cher, it's me. I'm right here." Just how long had it been to Danny...trapped in this room with no idea of what was going on. "Are you alright?"

Danny threw himself at Andrew with a sniff. "Andrew." Sighing, Andrew sat against the wall, hugging Danny close to him and running a hand through his hair. If what Relaxation had said was true, then...

"Danny...what's the last thing you remember?"

He shuddered against Andrew, staying silent as he shook his head. That answered that question, then. Holding the other more tightly, he pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. "I know it's been a long day, Danny, but I really need you to wake up for me, okay?"

"When... when did I fall asleep? I can't... my memory..." He must have just received all the memories of what had happened in here- And Andrew didn't much envy him for that.

"You...fell unconscious after your last battle and...your energy started regenerating too fast and it fractured your memory, like what happened with me with that alchemy potion, remember? You've been asleep for a while now, and I had to go through your other selves before I could find you- Danny, I know you're probably panicking, but I need you to time your breaths with mine, okay? Can you please do that for me, mon cher?"

Danny nodded, feeling more than seeing the rise and fall of Andrew's chest. He slowed his breath significantly, trying to do as his mate told him. "Five..."

"Five?"

"Five hours, twenty three minutes, forty nine seconds." Realizing what he meant, Andrew's eyes slightly widened. Century his ass... Timekeeper had been right, then.

"Which is all the more reason we need you to wake up- Do you think you can?"

"I don't... know."

"Well...don't worry about it too much, okay? We'll figure out a way once you feel a bit better- I can't imagine regaining so many sets of memory at once is too fun...especially since you're dealing with quite a few more, and for a longer period of time." Biting his lip, Andrew looked around the room again, scooping Danny into his arms before walking. "I'm just taking you to somewhere where you can relax a bit better, okay?" Danny nodded against his shoulder.

He had to assume the barriers were down now, which mean the others could see each other and figure out what was happening. Peeking his head into where he had met Relaxation, he saw the pile of pillows empty, and the other nowhere in sight. He had a feeling Relaxation had known what he had been planning, and had gone to run interference, since Danny seeing his other selves might panic him even more in this state.

Walking over to the pillows, and sitting down with a sigh, he set Danny beside him before falling backwards. "I don't quite remember days being _this_ long." This mess had been more exhausting than _any_ of his assassination work.

Danny nodded, burrowing under the pillows, eyes glowing green as he sorted through his memories. It was a few moments until he felt Andrew pull him into his arms, the man looking utterly _exhausted_ as he spoke, "If I fall asleep, pinch me or something, okay?"

Danny gave a nod, wrapping his arms around Andrew's neck. "Okay." Maybe he could sort through his memories later, right now, he was as tired as Andrew looked. Curling up, he shifted until he was comfortable, his head on Andrew's chest, and listening to the comforting thrumming of his core. Soon enough, his eyes were drooping closed.

In a flash Andrew was groaning as he found himself landing on the floor in the waking world. Sitting up with a groan, he blurrily looked to Danny. "When I said 'or something', I didn't quite mean that..."

"I didn't know it would happen. I was just... falling asleep."

"Falling awake, more like."

"Nice to see you two are finally back," Clockwork mused. "You've been out of it for five hours, thirty six minutes, and twenty two seconds." Andrew was the first to speak after a moment of silence, standing up and stretching as he did so.

"That felt like much longer. So. Much. Longer."

Danny gave him a grin. "You're telling me? I only have one thing to say about that." His grin grew, "That's what she said." There was five point two seconds of silence before Clockwork opened the door and floated out.

"No." The door closed quietly, the two left alone in the room. It was another few moments before Andrew sighed heavily, walking over to the bed and carefully nudging Danny over before crawling under the covers.

"Exactly how much do we have to talk about, at this point?"

"Shhhh. Sleep now. Talk later." Danny fumbled, trying to put his finger to Andrew's mouth with his eyes closed. After a few pokes to his cheek, however, Andrew carefully took the hand and pulled it down, sighing again.

"As long as you know that we _will_ be talking about this, then yes, we can sleep for now." Danny nodded, curling up to his mate and falling asleep quickly.

::

As it turned out, they _did_ talk about it. A lot. Said talk was also how Danny now found himself at his parents doorstep with Andrew in his human disguise. With a quick glance to his mate, Danny sighed, and knocked on the door.

Maddie was the one to open it. "Danny! Andrew! How nice to see you! What brings you here?"

"Mom, you should get Dad... We have a lot to talk about."

* * *

If this turns into an AU/full fledged story...don't be surprised.


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